Birth By Sleep
by zeldahearts1337
Summary: The first chapter in an ongoing project to novelize the Kingdom Hearts saga - This to 3D - filling in plot holes, fridge logic, re-writing a few awkward scenes, and having - Hopefully - a lot better character development. Birth By Sleep as if it was written as the first novel in a saga. Tell me what ya think.
1. Chapter 1

A young boy was lying down in his room. The pale blue sheets beneath him were ruffled, but not covering him. His hair was a golden blond, spiked upward like a cresting wave with bangs that tried to cover his stark blue eyes. A hunk of slightly tarnished bronze armor rested on his left shoulder. The jacket he wore was dark gray on the left and light tan on the right. More armor peeked out from his gray and white striped vest around his waist. Straps crossed his chest, forming a 'X' with a small metal heart filigree in the center. The pants he wore were tan and black, and ballooned out around his knees and then curled back in around his ankles. His shoes looked like sneakers, but were the same metal of his armor, only more blue and green, with a thin streak of red on the side.

He sighed, sitting up and glancing at his clock: 10 on the nose.. He was sent to bed by his Master, Eraqus, a full hour ago. He looked out the window, finding it hard to get back to sleep.

He had just had the strangest dream...

*~...~*

_He was with his friends, they were laughing, having fun, and then the image flickered between that an them at a desolate place, wearing what looked like armor. Then it fully switched to the latter, unfolding a conflict- _

_ It cut away, to a woman with sky blue hair, eyes of the same hue. She wore a close-fitting black, navy and dark gray tank top, with pale pink straps criss-crossing her buxom chest with a small metal heart in the center. Sleeves began on her forearm, held in place by small hunks of grayish-blue armor. She wore black shorts, with barely any skin exposed in between them and her long stockings. A sash around her waist held two long and draping pieces of cloth around her thighs. _

_ It looked like she was fighting a man vaguely older than her, with brown hair spiked back in a mohawk. His pants were long, almost skirt-like, and held by a belt, also with the same heart as the buckle. His shirt was gray, with red straps echoing the woman's pink ones, sans the heart. Red and copper-colored armor covered his entire left arm from his shoulder to his wrist_

_ He was panting while she waited for his next move. They charged at each other, meeting in the center as the grand room faded away. Their strange blades clashed, and they pulled away._

_ The boy appeared, looking behind him at the vast expanse of white. Two doors had opened, an old, hunched over and balding man walking in with a younger boy covered head to toe in a muscle-like body suit. A dark helmet covered his face and hair. The door and man faded away, leaving only the two boys._

_ The newcomer extended his hand, the other raising his head in surprise. The boy found himself standing in darkness, holding a small blueish light in his hand. He stared at it for only second before letting it drop away into the darkness._

_ The light then became a small, star shaped charm made of blue glass and pewter at the edges. It fell into the palm of the young woman, the boy and the man's hands swiveling out with their own green and red colored versions. Then the three of them stood, holding their charms, backs to each other._

_ The charms flew away, revealing the three were at a crossroads. The charms then formed three, round stained glass images, each the same color as the charm and depicting a princess. They then flashed at the end of a curious blade, the guard formed by shooting stars and a night sky that curved into a crescent moon, forming a small keychain at the end._

_ Then it cut back to the conflict without warning, the old man from earlier blasting the armored young man with ice. Then it cut to the boy, also armored, as the man grabbed him by his helmet, causing the metal to crack under the stress. The young man gasped, finding the boy to be in peril._

_ Then it showed the young woman, standing from battle and most of her helmet chipped off. It faded away, showing the young man walking past her callously. As she stared ahead in disbelief, she held a hand to her heart._

_ Then the boy was burned and frozen by the old man, who was now holding him above a cliff._

_ Then the young man dashed across blank white halls, running from the darkness that bloomed behind him. It flipped around, revealing the boy running among the same halls, except they were black., and filled with scenes and memories. He was running from the light, but it ended up consuming him._

_ The light faded away to the young woman, who was standing, still in disbelief of what had happened. It faded away to her holding the armored boy, who was frozen, and obviously in pain and fear._

_ Then the old man, still atop his cliff, fired dark energy into the sky, causing the clouds to part. The moon was an eerie blue, and shaped like a heart._

_ The woman gaped up in fear at this new omen._

_ The man, sitting up from a crash into the ground, stared up at the sky, his eyes going from blue to golden._

_ Then he started falling into darkness, forgotten blades drifting away with him. He closed his eyes, letting himself fall._

_ He faded into the young woman, who also did the same, and they swirled around in the darkness for seconds before the woman looked down at a circular stained glass pillar depicting the boy._

_ Two of the blades violently lashed out and dug themselves in the glass, causing it to break away into fragments, the boy now caught among them. His eyes were closed, and he drifted away, falling out of the sky as a shooting star, two young boys observing the phenomenon from the shore..._

_*~...~*_

The boy, now having recalled the entire dream, sighed again, wondering what it meant.

A star streaked across the sky, causing the boy to press himself against his window.

"A meteor shower!" he exclaimed gleefully. He got out of bed, and rushed out.

*~...~*

He dashed down the steps to the castle of his home, The Land of Departure, eyes fixed on the sky for another shooting star. He didn't stop when he felt grass beneath his feet, only continuing more.

Because he knew exactly where he was going. He had been there dozens of times before with his closest friends, and always had the best view. One of the many cliffs in this peaceful world that he knew would give him the best view of every little star that would shoot across the sky.

He stopped, seeing the devices they used to train. Smirking, he summoned a strange blade that he held in a backwards grip. The metal was also very much like his armor, slightly tarnished bronze, with trivets and weld marks where it was fused to form a chunky, stylized wing shape at the tip. If you looked at it right, it almost resembled a key.

"I guess a little Keyblade practice wouldn't hurt anyone." He rushed forward, smacking one of the large wheels held on the now spinning rack. He kept his focus on the wheel, attempting, and mostly succeeding, to hit it when it came back around. He then paused.

"Wait, I'm out here to look at the meteor shower! What the heck am I doing here?"

He then dashed away again, eager to get to the one spot where he could watch the stars.

Arriving at his destination shortly after, he walked past the bench he normally used and stood shortly away from the edge of the cliff.

"Wow...!" he gasped, seeing stars shoot across the sky not one at a time, but in bunches of dazzling little sparks of and on.

He sat on the ground, trying to get a better view, then laid down. After staring at the heavens for several moments, he murmured "Why does this seem so... familiar?" and he felt his eyes, still locked on the stars, drift away into darkness.

*~...~*

_Something from an age ago... when he was younger... An old, raspy voice saying something about this small island being a fitting place._

Hey... where am I?_ He thought. Then, feeling a new presence, asked "Who's there?"_

_ He felt himself drift away from reality and into dreams, falling away into the darkness. The cloth around him disappeared, leaving his shirtless self feeling cold._

_ Not that it mattered, he was nearly dead._

_ He gently landed on a white, glowing pillar in the darkness. A quarter of it was fractured, bits of it still fading away. After he looked around for any sign of life other than his fading one, a voice replied to his question_

_**I'm a brand new heart.**_

_ The boy turned his head at the new presence. "But this is... why are you in my heart?" he knew he sounded tired, but didn't care. He was going to die here, the bits of his heart were going to slip away and leave behind his lifeless body. He figured he might as well try and defend the fragments he still had. Make sure his death was peaceful._

_**The light brought me**__. Came the simplest reply. The boy turned his head again, wondering where exactly the newcomer's voice was coming from. __**I saw it shining in the distance...and followed it here.**__ The boy held a hand to his heart, feeling the weak thing glow slightly with pride at how bright it's light was._

_ "Yeah..." he then felt even more hollow and broken "That _was_ my light... But my heart is fractured, and now... the little I have left is slipping away..."_

_**Then you should join your heart with mine.**_

_ The boy became confused "...huh...?"_

_ The pillar beneath him glowed brighter, the fragments collecting and a new piece re-formed._

_**Now our hearts have touched. Nothing else will slip away.**_

_ The boy blinked, caught off-guard by this stranger's compassion. He then raised his head when they spoke again_

_**And one day... You will be strong enough to win back the part that already did.**_

_ The boy lowered his head again, clasping his hand "Right... thanks..."_

_**It's time to wake up now. All we need to do is...**_

_**"Open the door."**_

_The white shimmered away, revealing a green image, depicting the boy resting peacefully along it's edge. His heart no longer felt broken, and he felt a beautiful warmth surround it..._

_*~...~*_

The boy felt himself wake up, wondering sleepily why he was lying on the ground. He sat up, and, after looking around, figured another nap wouldn't hurt, yawned, and lied back down.

Looking right into the smiling face of his blue-haired friend.

"WOAH!" the boy bolted straight upward, caught off by the young woman's sudden appearance. He got on his knees, looking at her while she chuckled.

"Gimme a break, Aqua." the boy sighed while Aqua stood.

"Ven, you hopeless sleepy head, you could've at least brought a blanket!"

Ven, not really caring about whether or not he had brought a blanket, asked "But... did I dream that place up? It really felt like I'd been there before, looking up at the stars." Aqua ruffled his spiked, blond hair, giggling.

"Except you've always lived here with us."

_Well... not ALWAYS..._ she thought, _It's only been four years, but Eraqus doesn't want him to remember-_

"Yeah... I know." Ven smiled back at her. He then got up and walked over to the edge, sitting down with his legs dangling. Aqua followed

"Hey Aqua."

"Hmm?"

Ventus leaned back, continuing "You ever wonder what stars are, where light comes from?"

Aqua lowered her head, thinking briefly. She then began "Well they say-"

A smooth baritone finished Aqua's sentence "That every star up there is another world."

Ven and Aqua turned around, Ven grinning while Aqua exclaimed "Terra!"

Terra, smiling warmly, continued "Yep, so hard to believe that there are so many worlds other than our own." He walked over to his friends "The light is their hearts, and it's shining down on us like a million lanterns."

Ven's smile faded, and he looked confused "What? I don't get it."

Terra laughed "In other words, they're just like you, Ven."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll find out someday, I'm sure."

"I wanna know _now!_"

"You're too _young_ to know now!"

"Quit treating me like a kid!"

Aqua suppressed a laugh.

"Hey! What are you laughing at?" Terra quipped.

"I can't help it!" Aqua giggled "You two would make the weirdest brothers!"

Both the boys folded their arms-Ven behind his head and Terra in front of his chest-confused. They then went along with it after thinking for a second, and their laughter ran out in the empty grounds.

They spent a good hour sitting there, recalling tales, watching the stars. Being the close friends they were.

Aqua suddenly stood "Oh yeah! Terra, you and I have our Mark of Mastery Exam tomorrow!" she rummaged her pockets, looking for something. She then pulled out three charms, all star shaped and made with glass and pewter. "I made us good luck charms!" She tossed one to Terra, who caught and examined it while Ven gaped at the small trinket.

"Whoa...!"

"Here!" Aqua then tossed Ven his, the boy catching it by the cord and joyfully crying "I get one too?!"

Aqua held hers out "Of course! One for each of us!" the three held out their charms, each one beautifully crafted.

"Somewhere out there," she began, walking away from Terra and Ven "there's this tree with star-shaped fruit, and the fruit represents an unbreakable connection." she looked at her charm "So as long as you and your friends carry good luck charms shaped like it, nothing can ever drive you apart. You'll always find your way back to each other." she then turned back, the pink on her cheeks signaling embarrassment

"Technically, I think you're supposed to make them with seashells, but I did the best with what I had."

Terra rolled his eyes "Oy, sometimes you are such a girl."

Aqua snapped at him "Hey! What do you mean _sometimes_?"

Ven, meanwhile, looked sad "So this isn't a real good luck charm?"

Aqua walked back "Well, that's yet to be seen... But I did work a little magic on it!"

The boy brightened up instantly "Really?! What?"

Aqua smiled and held her charm to the sky "An unbreakable connection!"

Ven nodded in approval, then smirked at Terra, summoning his Keyblade "Hey Terra, wanna spar?"

Terra rolled his eyes again "Oh come on Ven you _know_-"

"Hey! I _will_ beat you this time!"

It was Aqua's turn to roll her eyes. She then started walking away, outcome already clear in her mind.

Terra summoned his own Keyblade and got ready to brave the whines and accusations from Ven when the boy was beaten. "Fine, but don't be surprised if I kick your keester in a second."

Ven leaped at Terra, the older and more experienced man easily throwing Ventus off balance, catching the boy with his Keyblade by the straps on his chest, and tossing him into the small pond nearby.

Ven, sitting up out of the water, glared and spluttered at Terra "C-cheater!"

Terra laughed "No, you're just not at master level yet." he then joined Aqua, who was already on her way.

"Hey, we're gonna head back."

Ven instantly got out of the water, rushing to them with a grin appearing on his face "Yeah, me too!"

Aqua paused at the cliff's edge, looking at another star shoot across the sky. She held her charm tighter, and whispered one last thing before joining Terra and Ven

"Together, always..."

And that would be the last night they ever spent, under the same stars...


	2. Chapter 2

It was the next day. The exam.

Light poured through the stained glass that lined the halls of the castle of The Land of Departure, illuminating the trials about to be placed before Terra and Aqua.

The two stood in the center, Ven off to the side, each ramrod straight and trying to hide their nervousness.

On thrones in front of them sat two much older men.

One of them had black hair, tied back with one bang out to the side, and a handful of scars on his face along with a mustache and small beard. He wore a coat, faded white with a earthy red border. The navy shirt he wore had an 'X' on the front. He also had fragments of armor, like his pupils before him, although mostly in an aqua shade of blue. His pants were similarly styled to Terra's, although shorter, revealing his armored boots.

Eraqus, Master of The Land of Departure.

The other looked considerably older. Balding hair, thin pointy eyebrows that seemed stuck in a constant smirk of disapproval. His eyes were golden, but cold. His back was hunched, labeling the man as more of a thinker than a fighter at the moment. He wore a white and black coat with a red inner lining, worn over a white shirt with two thin black belts, as well as white gloves and calf-high black boots.

Ventus couldn't help but watch the older man. He smirked at Ven with uncanny familiarity. Ven, meanwhile, found he looked exactly like the one in his dream last night. _Oh Ventus,_ he scolded himself _it was just a dream. Yeah, he may look the part of the bad guy, but Master Eraqus trusts him, and so should you!_

He then glanced over and found while he was chiding himself Eraqus had stood, and then hastily resumed his formal posture. _See? Now you're gonna get it when this whole thing is over! Worrying about some old friend of his when you should've been paying attention!_

Eraqus looked at Terra and Aqua, then proclaimed

"Today you will be examined, for the Mark of Mastery. Not one, but two of the Keyblade's chosen stand here as candidates, but this is neither a competition, nor a battle for supremacy. Not a test of wills, but a test of heart. Both of you may prevail, or neither." he then changed subjects, looking over to his companion

"But I am sure our guest, Master Xehanort, did not travel all this way to see our youngest prospects in years fall short of the mark."

Xehanort nodded.

Eraqus then asked "I trust you are ready?"

"Yes." Terra and Aqua said curtly together.

Eraqus summoned his Keyblade, "Then let the examination begin!" It flashed, and then a series of small orbs of light lined up behind them. Terra and Aqua readied their Keyblades.

Xehanort was not going to let opportunity pass by him, and he quickly corrupted the orbs with darkness, sending them into erratic patterns. While everyone was caught with shock, Xehanort smirked. This signaled everything he needed to know.

Aqua and Terra quickly dismissed two of the orbs, but one flew at Ventus

"VEN!"

Ventus summoned his Keyblade and quickly slashed it away.

"Don't worry about me!" he said "You two focus on the exam!"

Terra and Aqua were now being surrounded, but that didn't stop Aqua from saying in a motherly warning "But Ven, you're _in danger_ here! Go wait in your room!"

Ventus only shook his head "No way! I've been looking forward to this! Seeing you two become masters! I'm not gonna miss it now!"

Terra nodded "He can take care of himself. He's been out there training just as hard as us."

"Yeah!"

Aqua conceded and sighed "Stay sharp Ven!"

They quickly rushed around, swinging their blades and protecting their home. But these were easy opponents, and they were gone in seconds. Panting, they returned to their spots.

"That was unexpected," Eraqus began "but one must keep a still heart even in the most trying of circumstances. It was an excellent test, one I chose to let unfold. Which brings us to your next trial. Terra, Aqua, to the center, face each other."

They did so, knowing exactly what was coming next.

"Now, Terra and Aqua, the two of you will face each other in combat. Remember, there are no winners, only truths. For when equal powers clash, their nature is revealed."

Aqua readied her Keyblade, and Terra did the same.

"Begin!"

They charged at each other. They struck blades multiple times, Aqua being weaker and nimbler while Terra being stronger and slower.

Aqua was preoccupied by Xehanort, _That man feels so evil... Master Eraqus trusts him, but I'm not sure if I should-_

"AQUA! _Watch it!_" Terra yelled, annoyed. Her Keyblade had nearly rearranged his face.

"Sorry Terra!"

He jumped away, and upon seeing Aqua charge at him he instinctively summoned power he found deep inside of him-

He gasped when darkness formed on his left arm, and he quickly dismissed it, raising his blade just in time to intercept Aqua. Xehanort smirked. Yes, things were going _swimmingly_ for him.

They fought more, Terra also preoccupied by Master Xehanort _Gah, he's like one of those fairytale villains, it's like he's not even trying to hide that he is aligned with darkness,_ Terra shook his head, slicing Aqua away, _Eraqus trusts him, so should you. You know what he says, 'Appearances are not a tool to judge others.'_

"That is enough!" Aqua and Terra stopped, tired. They walked back in front of Eraqus, the old master saying "We will now debate over your results, you may rest for now."

They then walked away, while Ventus rushed to Terra and Aqua "You guys were great!"

Terra laughed a little "Yeah, but I'm sure I can do without having my eyes gouged out."

"Hey! I wasn't intentionally aiming for that Terra!" she then added in a softer voice "I was thinking about Master Xehanort-"

"Can we really trust him?" the trio said together. They blinked, and laughed at the odd occurrence.

"Of course we can!" Ventus said with a smile "The master does!"

"Yes, Eraqus usually has a good sense around him."

"Yeah, besides, he's just an old man, what evil could he do?" Terra then made his voice a raspy impression of an aging man "You whippersnappers! In may day, we couldn't use a Keyblade without a good nap beforehand!" causing Aqua and Ventus to shriek with laughter.

"Terra! Aqua!"

Terra and Aqua rushed back to their places, Ven adding "Don't worry, we can trust him if the master does!"

"We have deliberated, and reached a decision." Eraqus began "Terra, Aqua, you both preformed commendably, however, only Aqua has shown the Mark of Mastery."

Terra allowed his shock to register for only a second before Eraqus told him what he had done wrong "Terra you failed to keep the darkness within you sufficiently in check." as if to reassure him Eraqus added "But there is always next time. That is all."

He turned to Aqua "As our newest Keyblade Master, you are entitled to certain knowledge, wait here for further instruction." Eraqus left.

Aqua raised her hand to Terra "Hey..." she would have said more but Ventus beat her to it

"Terra, I'm sorry..." Aqua nodded in agreement.

Terra only held his head low, whispering "The darkness... where did it come from?"

Xehanort took some of the steps down to a lower level, asking a young man covered head to toe in a muscle-like body suit "What do you think of Ventus?"

He responded with loathing and disappointment in his voice "He ain't gonna cut it. Somebody's gotta break that loser in."

Xehanort shook his head sounding equally annoyed "Not here you won't." he then started walking away "I have to keep up appearances."

The boy pushed himself off of the wall he leaned against, putting on his darkened helmet sighing "I know that. He just needs a little incentive to leave home."

And he followed Xehanort away.

Terra, Aqua, and Ventus were still standing, Aqua and Ven feeling sorry that Terra didn't achieve his sole goal in life. Terra, frustrated, said curtly "I'm sorry, but I need some time alone."


	3. Chapter 3

Terra sat on the steps outside of the Land of Departure. _There's darkness inside me... _He thought, gripping the fabric that gathered around his knees. _But what does that matter?! I know I'm strong enough to hold it back!_ He reminded himself.

"Yes, you are indeed strong..."

Terra jolted at the ancient sounding voice, and rapidly turned around.

"The darkness is nothing to fear."

Terra bowed, saying "Master Xehanort."

The old master made his way down the steps, continuing his lesson "And yet, how frustrating Eraqus refuse its power. You could train with him forever, and still not be a master in his eyes."

Terra didn't believe what he was hearing, but some of it still got under his skin. _Really? Forever?!_ "But WHY? Tell me, Master Xehanort, what is it that I failed to learn?" He demanded.

Xehanort walked past him, saying curtly "You are fine as you are."

Terra's gaze followed him, pleading for an explaination.

"Darkness cannot be destroyed, it can only be channeled." Xehanort explained simply.

Terra nodded, then bowed "Yes, thank you Master."

~~...*..~~

Ventus sighed as he swung his(used to be Terra's)old sparring Keyblade. He fondly remembered using it before he could summon his own, yet he sighed. Terra hadn't made it. It was all of their dreams to make the Mark of Mastery, so this loss pressed against his heart in a dim cloud of defeat.

~~..*..~~

"...and in so much as you are now Keyblade Master, you must always be aware of-" the sudden bell caused both Eraqus and Aqua to jump.

~~..*..~~

The bell began ringing. Ventus jumped out of his bed, gently setting aside the worn down practice sword.

~~..*..~~

The echoing ring of the bell was unmistakeable, and Terra began rushing towards the castle of the Land of Departure. Xehanort, as he left, smiled as his plans were falling into place.

~~..*..~~

Eraqus walked over to a shimmering gem behind the thrones of the hall, clearly concerned and intrigued by the ring coming from it.

"What is that?"

~~..*..~~

Ventus was at the threshold of his bedroom door when a cold, dark voice sighed "You better hurry, Ventus." Ventus froze, and turned around.

Leaning against a desk in his corner was a boy he hadn't seen before. A dark, muscular suit covered him neck to toes, head concealed in smoky glass.

"Who are you?"

The boy didn't acknowledge the question, continuing "Or you'll never see Terra again..."

Ventus rolled his eyes, saying "Get real, I can see Terra anytime I want." _What is up with this creep?_

The boy continued his cryptic speech "Like right now. He's leaving you behind, and by the time you catch up he'll be a different person."

Ventus clutched his practice blade tighter, growling "Look, whoever you are, you don't know the first thing about Terra!" He readied the wooden sparring weapon, "Me and him will always be a team, you trying to pick a fight or somethin'?!"

The boy seemed mysteriously calm as he crossed Ventus's room chastising him "Oh grow up. Is that what you call friendship? You'll never know the truth unless you go out and look for yourself. Come on, what could you possibly know, looking at nothing but what's in your tiny world?" And without another word, the masked boy left in a burst of darkness.

Ventus thought back to their days training. Going over drills, sparring, working hard to attain their dream. He recalled one day, when he had been feeling off, sick, tired. Terra had grown frustrated with him, yelling _"Ventus I know you're better than this! If you spend any time training like this you'll never even get close to deserving the title!"_

The words had stung Ventus hard, and he began to cry. Bt then Terra ruffled his blond spikes of hair, apologizing _"Hey, you're doing great work, but... Kick it up to your level okay? 110%, got it?"_

Ventus knew the bond between them, and losing that felt like losing his world. Terra was his older brother! How could he lose that?

He rushed out of his room crying out "Terra!"

~~..*..~~

Terra pulled up to Aqua the moment Eraqus left to inspect the light from behind to thrones, asking "What happened?"

Aqua replied with a simple "I dunno." She then inquired back "Why isn't Ven here?"

Eraqus nodded grimly "I see, I shall send my pupils to investigate..." He nodded some more "Yes. I understand... Farewell." He then approached Terra and Aqua, saying

"That was my dear old friend Yen Sid. As you know, he is master no more, but he still keeps a close eye on the tides of light and darkness. His council serves as guideposts, on the road which we weilders of the Keyblade must walk." He sighed breifly "Which is all the more reason for concern, as he tells me the Princesses of Heart are in danger. Not only from the forces of darkness, but also a new threat, one that feeds on negativity, fledging emotions that have taken monster form. Yen Sid calls them, the 'Unversed'."

He nodded to both of them "As Keyblade weilders, you are tasked with striking down any who would upset the balance between light and darkness. The Unversed are no exception." He allowed a flicker of worry to show "I have attempted to pass this news onto Xehanort, but all my attempts to reach him have failed. I doubt there is any connection, yet this all troubles me."

Terra blinked, whispering "Master Xehanort is... Gone?"

Eraqus nodded. "So here we are. I need you two to get this situation under control. Eliminate the Unversed, and find Master Xehanort. I have unlocked the Lanes Between, you may use these forbidden pathways to travel between this world and countless others. The darkness looms closer than usual in these pathways, but your armor will protect you."

His voice became more warning "Remember that order must be kept, you cannot tell anyone that there are other worlds!" He waved them off "Now go, fulfill your duty."

Terra and Aqua nodded "Yes master," and Terra turned to leave, but Eraqus stopped him

"Terra, consider this an opprotunity, a second chance to change my mind."

Terra blinked and turned back around "What?"

Eraqus smiled, walking down to him "You must know, I care for you like my own son. If I had my way, I would name you master in a second. But how can I, when you are so obsessed with power?" He said sternly "Terra, you mustn't be afraid of losing. Fear leads to obsession with power, and obsession beckons the darkness." Eraqus gripped Terra's shoulder "You must never forget."

Terra bowed his head "Thank you, master. I promise, I will not fail you again."

Aqua watched as he left, wanting to tell him...something very important before he vanished forever. She then curtly told Eraqus "Master, I best be on my way." She turned to leave, seeing Ventus run across the hall, but halted when Eraqus said "Wait Aqua. Before you leave I have one other... Well, call it a request of the utmost priority."

Aqua felt her brow crease with worry as she turned to once more face her master "Yes?"

"I told Terra this could be a second chance to show the Mark of Mastery, and I meant it. However, that flicker he showed at the examination, I can sense it runs very deep... If he were to..." His voice trailed off, then resumed "If those powers were to prove too much for him to handle, I want you to bring him back to me at once."

Aqua frowned. _Wasn't he strong enough already?_

"It's for his own good, I couldn't bear to lose him to the darkness."

She then nodded saying firmly "Of course, I could never let that happen. I promise I'll bring him back, only this time, you'll see he has what it takes to be a master." She walked away, but halted at the balcony and then told her master stiffly

"He's not as weak as you think."

~~..*..~~

Aqua made her way down a few of the steps, wondering silently what was to become of her and Terra. Not to mention the thought of leaving Ven for so long...

Ventus, meanwhile, caught up to Terra, gasping for air and saying "T-Terra!"

Terra halted, and turned to find Ventus stumbling up to him. Ventus panted, then said "I-I-"

Terra ruffled his hair, saying "It's alright." and giving the boy a confident, reassuring smile. Ventus remained silent, but gave Terra a pleading look, hoping he would understand.

Terra turned away, and banged the hunk of armor covering his left arm. In a flash of light he was covered in the bronze, reds, and yellows of his Keyblade Armor.

Ventus felt his jaw go slack. _I've- WE'VE only been show demonstrations! Since when did we get to do that?!_

He continued to watch in awe as Terra raised his Keyblade to the sky, and let a beam of light pierce the perfect shade of blue. A portal opened, and Terra let his Keyblade fly into the sky. It quickly morphed into a cycle, and it obidiently rested in front of its master. Terra leaped onto it, and pulled it upward into the sky at blinding speed.

Ventus temporarily thought he would never see his friend again, then quickly thought: _If it's really that easy, then I can follow him!_

He quickly banged the armor resting on his shoulder, closing his eyes and concentrating.

When he opened them again, he saw the world through a darkened visor, and was covered head to toe in aqua and green armor. He spent several moments marveling at the amazing sight, then reminded himself what it was for. He threw his Keyblade into the sky, and it turned into what looked like a skate board of some kind. He hopped on it, finding the handling to respond instinctively with where he wanted to go.

Upon hearing the noise of Ven's Keyblade glider, Aqua raised her head, gaped in shock, then began running.

"WAIT, VEN!" She cried, but the boy was already on his way out of the world. Eraqus stopped next to her, muttering "No! he mustn't!"

He turned to Aqua, commanding her "You have to bring him back!"

Aqua nodded "Don't worry Master, I will." She then ran to the center of the courtyard, banging her armor and letting her light encase her. The silver and cobalt metal encased her, and she brought forth her Keyblade Glider without a thought.

As she turned upward towards the portal, she told herself

"I will _not_ fail."


	4. Chapter 4

In another world, far from the Land of Departure, a forest, no, an entire kingdom, rested peacefully. A crackling portal opened, Terra walking out of it with his armor dissolving away. He stopped at the edge of a small lake, looked around, the closed his eyes and sighed "Yep... Calm, orderly, just what I need..."

To be honest, he had always HATED it when things went into chaos. he laughed softly at his first objections to Ventus staying. Like, FOREVER, staying.

_"Eraqus~! The bathroom's hogged enough by Aqua-"_

_"I DO NOT HOG THE BATHROOM!"_

_"And, I REALLY don't want to share a room with a total zombie like HIM!"_

He had honestly felt like his world was being remodeled in front of him without any consent back then, and there was nothing he loathed more. Mulling over the memory a little more, he realized the room-sharing comment was brought upon by their first meeting-

There was a rustle, and Terra summoned his Keyblade just as he was swarmed by creatures. _Monsters, the ones the Master mentioned..._ he finished his thoughts as he steeled himself for battle "So _these_ are the Unversed!"

~~..*..~~

Far away from Terra's battle and hopelessly lost in the multi-verse, Ventus sighed. The world looked friendly, open, and he figured that MAYBE Terra would head here first. It was so hard to tell when there was so many worlds to choose from. Just like what was told to him last night, there was a multitude that he could barely grasp.

But still, despite his insecurity, he couldn't help his excitement: **_A NEW WORLD!_** A new place he had never seen before, a chance to meet other people- he stopped himself at that thought, reminding himself that no one could _ever_ mean more to him than Terra and Aqua.

He looked around, noting the forest lingering on the horizon, the green, earthy feel to the place. He noticed movement below him, and looked down with a surprised gasp.

Seven squat, old men, pickaxes in hand, marching in step while whistling merrily on their way for work.

Ventus leaned forward, hands on his knees and giddy with excitement "WOW!"

When they vanished, he quickly went to the other side of the small bridge to continue to watch them. He was so curious: Why were they so happy? Where were they going? Why were they so short? How old were they?

A quick look upward told they were heading to a mine, answering one question for now.

Ventus's cheeks were starting to hurt from grinning; he had only READ about this kind of thing! This kind of _adventure_! He then proudly proclaimed like an explorer founding a new settlement

"I shall call this place, the Dwarf Woodlands!"

~~..*..~~

Terra stretched a little, the Unversed all gone thanks to him. _Been awhile since I've had a workout like that..._

At least, he THOUGHT they were all gone. He heard swishing behind him, and turned to disappointedly find another Unversed. "Good grief, you guys just come out like a flood!" he sighed. It ran, Terra bearing his Keyblade and saying sharply "No you don't!"

~~..*..~~

Ventus strolled into the mine very casually, marveling at the beautiful diamonds that had yet to be hewn from the less appealing rock. After all, the dwarves looked friendly, maybe they would-

The oldest looking one, red tunic, yellow hat, glasses and a white beard, turned around and asked in a very timely and proper, but still rurally accented voice "Huh? Who're you?"

"I'm Ventus, call me Ven-"

The dwarf's companion, dressed in maroon with a brown cap and much less kept beard, interrupted Ven with a yell "A diamond thief! Take cover ya fools!"

All seven started scrambling, Ventus waving his hands apologetically "No, wait!"

Four scattered deeper into the mine, the two who had interacted with Ventus lingering behind rocks to see what he did next. The seventh was so caught in the commotion he ended up crashing into the rocky walls.

Ventus frowned lightly with apology, and said "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."

"You didn't?" one dwarf demanded.

Another yawned "So... you're... uh, not here to take our diamonds...?"

Ventus titled his head, looking even more sorry, and now a little insulted "That's not nice, treating me like a bad guy. I'm just trying to find a friend, his name is Terra." he then pointed to himself "He's dressed kinda like me," he stretched onto his tippy toes "About yay tall."

The same dwarf that had dubbed him a thief yelled "Sounds like a tall tale to me! Go on, git!"

"We don't know any 'Terra'..."

Ventus sighed: this people thing was _HARD_ "Please, could you just come over here? I just wanna talk!"

The thief-dubber just said "Don't fall for it! Stay where ya are!"

Ventus folded his hands, shaking his head and sighing "Alright, then we'll do this the hard way."

And the chase was on.

~~..*..~~

Terra yelled as he brought Earthshaker down upon the creature, snuffing away its life in a mere instant. He blinked as his combat-provoked tunnel vision stepped aside and he noticed the grand castle in front of him. It held a timeless quality, frozen there with no sounds echoing from it. It was almost eerie, the way it sat there, devoid of life.

His gaze lowered, finding a woman draped in black and purple cloth standing only a few yards away. A staff was clutched in her ivory hand, thin with a green orb crowning what little grandeur it held. He had a bad vibe coming from her- too proper, too calculated -but he shoved it away as he recited Eraqus's lesson:_ 'Appearances are not a tool to judge others.'_

The woman noticed him approaching, and turned around saying with surprise "What's this? Why aren't you asleep boy? That fool, Flora, cast a spell to put everyone in this castle into a deep, deep slumber..." Terra felt himself flinch lightly, knowing she had grown suspicious.

"Who are you?" he asked simply, fear underlying the flat tone. Already he was screwing up! He couldn't help that he didn't know that the people who lived here were all asleep! Now the world order was being screwed with and it was all his fault!

"I am Maleficent," the woman said "As all who dwell in this kingdom would know..." Terra flinched again. Yep, he would get a stern talking from Eraqus about this. "Now you must reciprocate the introduction: Who are you?"

"I'm Terra, what do you know about those monsters? The ones who attacked me." he decided to open up his trust, as Maleficent seemed like she knew what she was talking about.

She strolled to the bridge's wall "Hmm, now why would I give a thought to creatures so base? So inconsequential?"

Terra chuckled "Well, they are base, that's for sure." he changed the subject "Anyway, I'm lookin' for someone, ever heard of a man named Xehanort?"

Maleficent clutched her staff closer, mulling it over. "That name is not familiar to me, is he an outsider, like yourself?"

Terra didn't reply.

"Oh wait, I do remember someone leaving the castle!"

"Tell me, what was he doing there?" Terra demanded.

He sank when she said "I cannot say, I could only tell he was not from this Kingdom..." They turned to the castle as Maleficent continued "If you're curious, go see the castle for yourself. There, the entrance is past the bridge."

Terra nodded, thanking her curtly as he began running towards the gates. He halted when she said "Perhaps he did speak, about 'imprisoning the light'. " she mused aloud "The light could have meant so many things, could he have meant, Aurora?"

"Aurora..." Terra noted softly. He resumed running, Maleficent vanishing in green flames behind him.

~~..*..~~

The castle was grand, maze-like, regal. Terra admired the similarities to home, but continued his search. He didn't bother to call out anything, as Maleficent had said the whole castle was asleep. He wasn't THAT stupid, after all. He eventually found a room in the highest tower, and gave it a quick search.

He was about to leave when he noticed the maiden fast asleep. Her hair was sunshine gold, her lips would shame a rose, her skin was supple and flawless. Terra felt himself blushing. And yet... there was so much light, so much warmth and kindness that echoed from her.

He held up his hands murmuring "This feels so familiar..."

"Her heart is filled with light." Maleficent suddenly appeared, continuing gleefully "Not the slightest touch of darkness! Just the kind of heart I need."

Terra's eyes narrowed in mistrust "For what?"

"Imagine with me, the most glorious of futures," Maleficent began "Seven of the purest hearts, each overflowing with light! When brought together, they grant the power to rule all worlds..."

Terra felt himself distrusting Maleficent more and more "What do you mean?"

"Why, that key you hold... the Keyblade, is it called?"

Terra gasped, then summoned the very weapon and asked "Where did you learn that name?!"

Maleficent only continued "That trinket is the only way to obtain the hearts..."

Terra yelled "No more games, where is Master Xehanort?!"

Maleficent's cordiality dropped "Insolence will get you nowhere, child. If you wish to learn more, you must retrieve the Heart of Aurora."

She looked amused as he spouted the typical, heroic response "And why would I ever want to do that?!"

She chuckled lightly "It is not a matter of why, but of will!" her staff glowed "In your heart, there is darkness just waiting to be awakened!"

Terra suddenly felt woozy, rushed with sickening power, Maleficent's control trying to take hold. "I-I don't know... What you're talking about...!" he denied while struggling not to vomit from the sudden nausea.

"Perhaps not yet... But I have power over sleep, and I can awaken what's inside you. Then you will be free to be who you truly are..."

Terra felt himself starting to fade away.

As If to keep him strong, Eraqus's teachings rang out in his head:

_"Remember, the darkness lurks within every heart..."_

_"Darkness is our foe!"_

_"Would that we could be rid of it,"_

_"You must destroy it."_

_"Push the darkness down, give it no quarter in your heart."_

Terra let go of consciousness, unable to resist anymore. His body, his heart, both now a mere puppet of Maleficent's will, slowly turned to Aurora. He used the Keyblade to unlock Aurora's heart without a single qualm, staring impassively into space.

Aurora's heart flew from her body, landing in Maleficent's hands. The sorceress chuckled "Here it is, just what I've waited for!"

Terra felt himself float to the surface of his mind, finally aware once more. He heard Maleficent continue "To think all he spoke of was, and will be, true!"

Terra held a hand to his throbbing head, muttering "What...? How did I-" he stopped upon seeing Aurora's limp body, still and unmoving. There was the absence of life, of a heart, that Eraqus had trained him to detect. He turned to Maleficent, saying "What did I do? What did YOU do?!"

Maleficent sounded almost hurt. Almost. "You speak as if I pulled some invisible strings... No, you couldn't be further from the truth, child. I simply whispered to the darkness you already held inside..."

Terra felt himself tear up slightly, and bent over Aurora lamenting "How could I do this?"

He felt a horrid resurgence of his first week or so with Ventus. HE was the one who caused the boy to fall into a coma, HE was the one who almost killed the terminally ill boy! How could he-

"Yes, now, you will want to know where Xehanort went... Well, that I cannot answer. He disappeared into the darkness. But now I know the Keyblade is necessary for collecting hearts..." she extended her hand "Join me, collect six more hearts of pure light, the we will rule all the worlds together!"

Terra then took a deep breath, composed himself, and snarkily said "You seem to be mixed up." he summoned his Keyblade, as much as he loathed it right now "I'm a peacekeeper, not a tyrant!"

The castle suddenly shook.

Maleficent said "Hmm, for a peacekeeper, you're off to an exceptionally poor start...! Remember this, the darkness in your heart cannot be held back by force or strength. Now, my work here is done, as is yours. Wasn't there someone you needed to chase?"

As she vanished into her flames, Terra yelled "WAIT!" and struck at the dissipating fire. The castle shook again as Maleficent continued her mocking laughter, and Terra noted "The Unversed! They're gonna bring down the whole castle! I have to do something!"

And he rushed away to the ballroom below, hoping he could make it in time to be a hero.


	5. Chapter 5

"Come on! I'm telling you I'm no thief!" Ventus sighed, lightly panting from chasing after the dwarves.

The naysayer dwarf spoke up again "Ha! Thats what they all say! Well, we're onto ya!"

Ventus finally gave up "Fine, I get it... If you want me to leave I'll leave..." He felt so dissapointed, a chance for new friends blowing up spectacularly in his face. He stopped before the cavern's exit, remembering how he needed to find Terra, he needed more information. He asked "Oh, but, could ya tell me where to find some other people around here?"

The dwarf that had started the whole mess said "There's a castle beyond the chorus- I-I mean forest."

Ventus nodded, feeling slightly better at how friendly he was "Okay, got it. Well, thanks!"

~~..*..~~

Terra wearily made his way back up to Aurora's chamber, to make sure no further harm had come to the Princess of Heart. The Unversed was massive, and fast. He hadn't made it out of the battle unscathed...

He nodded approvingly when he found her still safe and sound. His gulit rose up, _It was my fault her light was stolen... It was because I was weak._

He whispered "I'm sorry. I'll get your light back. Once I learn to stand up against the darkness."

He left the castle, not looking back at the first of what would be a long, winding road of mistakes. _Why would Master Xehanort want to imprison the light? The purest hearts of light... Do they hold the answer?_

Maleficent watched him break into a sprint from high atop the castle, then thought aloud "The seven purest hearts, each completely void of darkness... Such a search, may take some time."

~~..*..~~

Within the Dwarf Woodlands, a woman approached a massive mirror. "Spirit of the mirror," she chanted "come from the farthest space, through wind and darkness I summon thee! SPEAK! Show me thy face!"

A eerie green mask appeared in the smoky glass, asking "What wouldst thou know, my queen?"

The queen folded her arms, saying "Magic mirror, on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?"

The mirror replied without hesitation "Famed is thy beauty, majesty, but ho! I lovely maid I see! alas, she is more fair than thee..."

The queen said crossly "Alas for her! Reveal her name."

"Lips red as the rose, hair black as ebony, skin white as snow..." Was the mirror's only reply.

"Snow White!" The queen hissed.

Terra had been watching from the shadows, taking in this news. "A mirror that knows and sees everything..." He whispered to himself, lightly surprised "How about that?"

"Snow White's heart doth shine bright, beware, my queen, a heart of light."

Terra was definitely intrigued now "Another one... Wait, what if Master Xehanort is here?"

The queen heard him, demanding "Who goes there?!"

_Well, cats outta the bag, might as well follow the rules and be honest... _Terra walked out from his handing place "My name is Terra, I'm looking for a man named Xehanort, Master Xehanort. I thought maybe you might've seen him."

"That name is of no consequence to me!" She snapped.

Terra then nodded his head, and left.

The queen then took in this stranger... He looked like he knew how to fight, to kill...

"Ah, but wait! I have a task for you, if you succeed, I will ask the mirror 'where is this Master Xehanort?'"

Terra asked "And the mirror will know?"

"Do you dare to question me?" She became cold again.

Terra pondered it. She was bitter, envious, he saw the shadows that lingered, but... That mirror would help him greatly. "What is the task?"

"There is a young maid who resides in this castle," the queen walked towards him "her name is Snow White. Kill her, and to make sure you do not fail, bring back her heart, in this." She held out a wooden box, simply carved, but still quite extravagant for a potential container of a human heart.

Terra accepted the box, his feeling sinking like a rock "Her heart... I don't understand. You're after the hearts of light too?"

The queen leaned in, hissing "What I demand is her life! I have had enough of her light!"

Terra protested "What did this maiden do to you?"

"That is no concern of yours. Now, heed my words, my radiance is all the light this kingdom needs!"

Terra nodded lightly "Okay... We're can I find her?"

"Outside the castle, there is a glade of wildflowers. You are dismissed. Go now and seek her there."

Terra was about to leave, but he hesitated. _A heart of light... This Snow White is my best chance right now, maybe she'll lead me closer to Master Xehanort..._ He held up the box, it feeling far too cold and harsh in his hands. _But what if I...? _He thought about Aurora. He shook his head _NO. I won't let that happen._ And he finally was at ease enough to walk away.

~~..*..~~

It didn't take long to find the wildflowers the queen had mentioned, as it was right outside the gates. It was just as easy to find Snow White, humming to herself as she picked flowers. At least he thought that was Snow White. She looked so innocent and lovely, how could anyone be jealous of her? Jaded enough to send a killer after her?

She looked up as Terra approached, asking "Oh hello, who are you?"

"Aren't you startled?" He asked back, laughing lightly at how easily she opened up. _Almost like Ventus..._

"Should I be?" She asked playfully. Terra thought for a moment, getting the same feeling from her as Aurora. _So it's true then, she's the one._

He snapped out of his thinking when she asked "Is something the matter?"

"Um, does the name Xehanort mean anything to you?" He asked.

"Why, no, I don't think I've ever heard that name."

"Now what..." Terra sighed, turning inward again. _Aqua would be so go at this-_

He noticed a swish of blue, and summoned his Keyblade "Unversed!"

Snow White screamed and backed away as several more came just as Terra's Keyblade materialized, and ran.

"Hey wait!" Terra called after "Don't go in there alone- outta my way!" He was swarmed by Unversed as Snow White ran into the forest.

~~..*..~~

Ventus entered a small clearing, noting the small cottage- "huh." He said aloud when he realized it was really quite small for a person to live in.

"This is probably where those little men live." He said, peering inside.

There was a scream from deeper inside the forest, and Ventus ran towards it yelling "Don't worry! I'm coming!"

~~..*..~~

Terra had finally shaken off the Unversed, but it was too late. He couldn't see Snow among the thick foliage.

_Lost her. She said she doesn't know anything about Xehanort... That leaves me with just one other option. The mirror, back at the castle._

He turned to the spires in the distance, wondering if there was another way.

~~..*..~~

Ventus found a girl about his age, maybe a little younger or older, crying in the shade of the trees.

"What's wrong?" He asked gently.

"T-these horrible trees! T-they tried to grab me!" She sobbed. She looked up when Ventus extended his hand "Aw, it's okay, you were probably just seeing things. It happens to all of us when we're afraid."

She accepted his hand, tears drying. "Oh thank you, I feel quite better now. I'm sure I'll get along somehow." She smiled, but then said worriedly "But, I do need a place to sleep at night. Would you know anywhere I might?"

"Well, I saw a house just up ahead, come on, I'll take you there." He then added "Oh, I'm Ventus, Ven for short!"

"Thank you Ven! my name's Snow White!"

Ventus nodded, then began leading her to the cottage "Great! Come on, let's get going!" There was an extra spring in his step:

This was his first friend outside the Land of Departure.

~~..*..~~

Terra returned, but he stopped when the queen hissed "How dare you return here, you blundering fool!"

Terra replied coolly "What are you talking about?"

She turned, glowering at him "I asked you to bring Snow White's heart."

"A request I chose to ignore." Terra glared back "You know, you claim to be radiant, but all I see are shadows of jealousy, hanging thick on your heart."

"You will pay for such insolence! Magic mirror on the wall, consume this fool once and for all!"

Terra summoned his Keyblade, but nothing happened.

...

"Alas, my liege, that I cannot do, I have no powers, save answers true."

"You DARE defy your queen?!" She yelled. She then grabbed a potion and hurled it at the mirror, and the mask within started shuddering.

"What- ack!" Terra was almost blinded by the light that poured out to consume him, and was then forcefully dragged into its realm.

~~..*..~~

Ventus and Snow White looked around the small cottage, and Ventus then said "I'm pretty sure you'll be safe here! But sit tight while I look around."

He rushed around the forest, killing the monsters he found, making sure the peramiter was safe and sound. Meanwhile. The dwarves walked in their home, the leader heading upstairs to find a surprising sight "Someone's asleep in here!"

After a short while, Ventus strode back in "The coast is clear, not a monster in sight-" he jumped at the sight of Snow White surrounded by the dwarves from earlier.

"Couldn't stay away, could ya?! and who invited you in, you rotten thief?!"

Snow White quickly said "Oh, he's not a thief, he rescued me!"

"You mustn't be mooled- I-I mean fooled by him princess!"

"Go on, git!"

"Oh please don't send him away! You see, he helped me when I was lost, and oh so very frightened!"

"What happened?" Ventus asked, cautiously walking over

"Well, I was picking flowers by the woods, and there was a stranger there," Ventus felt his heart sink a little "He had a sword, but it was like a key," was his heart even in his body anymore? "and then these monsters came and-"

"A sword like a key...Terra!" Ventus said worriedly.

"So this stranger saw ya, and sent his horde of evil demons after ya?" a dwarf asked.

"Terra would never do that!" Ventus snapped at all of them.

"Oh, I'm sure he wouldn't, not when he's your friend."

"Princess, you trustn't be so musting- I-I mean you mustn't be so trusting!"

"He's a lyin! Mark my words!"

Ventus had enough "I'LL PROVE IT!" he yelled, and ran out the door with tears in his eyes. "Terra would NEVER do that!"

~~..*..~~

The queen held her hand to her mirror, unknowing if Terra had been eliminated yet. Suddenly it flashed, and there Terra was, pulled out of his fight all of a sudden.

"H-HOW did you escape?" she asked.

Terra only dismissed his Keyblade "Now you will ask the mirror: Where can I find Master Xehanort?"

She then demanded "Magic mirror, teach this knave! Give him the answers he doth crave!"

"Beyond both light and dark he dwells, where war was waged upon the fells..." the mirror said

"Is that all?" Terra asked, slightly annoyed. He was nearly killed just for a riddle? but still... beyond light and dark meant neutral territory... where war was waged...

Terra had his answer.

"Thanks, you've been a big help." and he left, knowing exactly where to go.

~~..*..~~

Ventus brushed past the branches of the forest, Keyblade in hand. He looked around the plain of flowers, then screamed "TERRA!" the lack of response was taunting him. He stubbornly wiped away a tear. _Terra would NEVER hurt anyone!_

He felt a tap against, his feet, and noted a beautifully red apple on the ground. He picked it up, then looked for its source. There was an old woman walking into the forest. He rushed over "Excuse me mam, I think you dropped this."

She turned, then her eyes widened at the apple in his hand "Oh! Thank you!"

Ventus noticed the other apples in her basket, then asked "Oh, are you selling these? Think I could buy this one?" He looked at it, so red and juicy, sitting in his palm so tantalizingly. He knew a few ways to prepare it, even after rolling around on the sandy soil (even he wasn't immune to dropping apples, and was glad Aqua had shown him a few cleansing spells) "I mean, I don't think anyone else will want it since it's been on the ground-"

"No, no my pet, I'll keep this. I can make a pie from it later, but thank you for considering." the old woman snatched it up with a smile "To tell the truth, I don't know what I would have done without that." she laughed. As she turned to leave, she asked "Haven't I seen that sword before?"

"Terra has one, do you know him?" Ventus asked, glad he had helped out.

"Oh yes, that ruffian pointed one at me asking about some Xehanort." Ventus looked at his Keyblade confusedly. _But the master said..._ "My poor heart nearly stopped."

Ventus shook his head "That doesn't sound like him at all. You must be confused with the wrong Terra..." but he asked, even if it was the wrong person with the same name "but, mam, where did he go?"

"I'm sure I have no idea, must you all menace a poor granny so?"

Ventus blinked, then realized he was holding his Keyblade up and hastily said "What? N-no, I wasn't-"

she walked away before he could explain, and Ventus sighed. He looked at his Keyblade, asking it "Terra, what did you do?"

~~..*..~~

Terra walked out to the courtyard, once again thinking to himself _Master Eraqus said he first received word of these events from Master Yen Sid... Maybe it's time I went, and spoke with him myself. Besides, he might shine clearer meaning on where Master Xehanort is according to that mirror._

Nodding approvingly at his plan Terra summoned his armor and glider, and set off.


	6. Chapter 6

A young woman, blond hair, blue eyes, dressed as a maid, stared forlornly at the castle in the distance, beautifully illuminated and sitting against the sky as a beacon of majesty and grandeur. She sighed, as if giving in to the fact that it was a one in a million chance she would ever go there.

A mouse in a red jacket scurried in "Cinderellie! Cinderellie! Come on! Gotta flurry! Gotta flurry!" he scrambled up the bedpost as the woman asked "Now Jaq, what's all the fuss about?"

"Somebody new in the house! Somebody I never saw afore!"

"Oh, a new friend? Where is he?"

Jaq then scrambled back down, saying worriedly "In a trap-trap! Downastairs!"

"Oh dear!" the woman followed, moving just as quickly.

~~..*..~~

Ventus paced in the small metal cage, muttering angrily. He thought he had dimensional travel down, it was kinda easy, really, but then he just HAD to shrink and have his portal open conveniently in a mousetrap. At least, he thought it was a mousetrap, if it was, it looked a little on the old side.

"What is going on?" he sighed. He then banged his fist against the cage, but regretted it instantly as he yelped, pulling his fist back and shaking it in pain. He scowled deeper, then pressed himself against the bars screaming "Somebody tell me how I got so SMALL!"

He then noticed a woman coming up to his small prison, and was about to ask her what was going on before she gently picked up the cage. It was tricky, balancing on the bars that definitely had enough room for his foot to slip through, but then she tilted it over and let Ventus tumble painfully into the back.

"Don't be afraid- Oh! How interesting, I've never seen a mouse like you before!"

Ventus clutched his head, feeling several knots starting to well up. He glared at her questioningly "MOUSE?"

"Jaq, you better explain things to him." the woman set down the cage gently- at least from her perspective, since Ventus struggled to maintain his balance during the jarring landing, and he braced for more pain.

He was surprised to find an ACTUAL mouse approach him, confidently saying "Now now now, rooker little guy, braker easy! Nothin worry about! We likea you! Cinderellie likea you too!" he turned up to 'Cinderellie' "She's a nice, very nice nice!"

He then began walking out, waving Ventus forward "Come on now! Zug Zug!"

Outside the cage, the mouse extended his hand "Name's a Jaq!"

Ventus shook it "I'm Ventus, call me Ven."

"Zug zug! Ven Ven, needa somethin, aksa Jaq!"

There was a shrill cry "Cinderella!"

The woman sighed "Oh well, time to get to my chores. I'll see you in a little while, Ven."

Ventus watched her leave, very aware of the concept of chores(His weekly list was: Clean room twice a day, laundry every Wednesday, Armor polishing daily, at least three hours of training daily, not counting lessons, and helping Terra and Aqua with castle maintenance)

"Wow, I guess she's got her hands full."

"Yup, just work work work! Stepmuddy keepa Cinderellie busy EVERY day!"

Ventus then voiced his slight confusion "She didn't seem to mind much though..."

"No, notsa Cinderellie. She worka very hard, she gotta dream, big dream, gonna come true!"

Ventus smiled "Sounds like somebody I know." he smiled wide at the memory of Terra brandishing his training Keyblade, saying "Being a Keyblade Master is all I've ever dreamed about!"

He then had an idea "Hey, maybe you can help me find him! His name is Terra, you seen him?"

Jaq shrugged "Ehh, no never sawa Terra afore."

"Oh well," Ventu sighed "was worth a shot..."

Jaq scurried off "Come on! gotta see the house!"

Ventus was too caught in his musings, but then eventually noticed Jaq leaving him "H-Hey!"

Jaq was already climbing the structure beyond the little mouse hole, and Ventus clambered on the nails and floorboards not quite as easily "Where are we going?"

"To Cinderellie's room!"

"Uh, is there-WOAH!- a safer route?"

"Nope," Jaq extended his hand to help Ventus up "Only way, now zug zug!"

After way too much climbing for Ventus's taste, they finally clambered onto a windowsill in Cinderella's room.

"What's that?" he asked, seeing the castle in the distance.

"Thatsa palace! KING'S palace!" Jaq said with a grand gesture "Gonna be a big ball tonight!"

"Is Cinderella going?" Ventus asked, knowing how much Aqua loved to read about this kind of thing, often telling him to read very GIRLY romance novels where the two protagonists met up at balls. The romance honestly made him want to barf most of the time, but if Aqua liked it, perhaps Cinderella did.

Jaq sighed "I doubt it."

The door opened, Cinderella walking in with a sigh. She cheerily smiled "Hello you two, becoming friends already?"

They smiled at eachother, then Jaq said "Yup!"

Cinderella pulled out a dress on a mannequin, smiling "Oh that's wonderful," she then began working on her dress and humming merrily.

"Gosh Cinderella, you sure look happy." Ventus noted.

Cinderella replied enthusiastically "Oh, I'm going to the royal ball tonight!" she added a loving sigh, confirming Ventus's hypothesis that Cinderella really wanted to go "I guess dreams really do come true!"

"Cinderella!" another harsh yell, and she sighed "I guess my dress will have to wait..."

Two more nasally ones

"Cinderella!"

"Cinderella!"

Cinderella rolled her eyes "Alright alright! I'm coming..."

Jaq only sank "Poor Cinderellie, she not gonna go to the ball..."

Ventus tilted his head "Why not?"

"You see, they fix her, work work work! She'll NEVER get her dress done!"

They stared at the dress for several seconds before Jaq said "Say, gotta idea! Ven Ven helpa Jaq?"

"With what?"

Jaq replied simply "Fixa Cinderellie's dress for the ball!"

Ventus folded his arms pensively in front of him: he had NEVER made anything crafty before, that was always Aqua's thing. A dress? seemed like an impossible venture.

"Looka 'round the house! Losta petty petty things!"

"I... um, don't know how to-"

"We'll show ya!"

Ventus then considerably brightened "Okay then! Let's do it! I'll go find whatever we need. Jaq, you get things set up here, okay?"

"Zug zug!"

Ventus nodded, and leapt down to begin the grandest scaled treasure hunt of his life.

"Ven Ven! Carefa Rucifie!" Jaq called down.

Ventus looked at him questioningly "Rucifie?"

"Rucifie is a cat-cat! Meanie, sneaky! Bite at you! chomp at you!"

Ventus then nodded "Okay then, got ya!" and he was about to race off before Jaq quickly sent him a paper airplane. Ventus unfolded it, then nodded at the list and ran off.

He found several things lying around: spools of ribbon that he painstakingly carted back up to be woven into a skirt(apparently these girls REALLY liked the stuff. Especially pink.), lots of string, bolts of cloth... Ventus wondered why all this stuff was just lying around.

"Oh, there it is!" He then found the last item of his list: a pearl bead. Specifically he needed several, but the last one was closer to the cat then he wanted it.

_But still, Cinderella REALLY wants to go to that ball_... Ventus thought, feeling guilty about not getting the bead, _I mean, what if this was Aqua?_

He then nodded, steeling himself with the thought of his friend. He crept over, and then very gently picked up the bead. He crept away, but Lucifer had awoken just as silently. The cat raised its paw-

"LOOK OUT! RUCFIE!" Jaq yelled, hurtling a ball of yarn at Lucifer, and it hit its target with perfect accuracy. Lucifer howled, holding a paw to his muzzle. "FLURRY FLURRY VEN VEN!" Jaq yelled, readying another ball of yarn. While Ventus ran for the mouse hole, Jaq launched ball after ball of yarn after Lucifer, all of them missing. Lucifer banged into the cabinet, and Ventus stopped to watch Jaq fall from his safe perch.

"ooh... That hurt..." Jaq said sorely, but then jumped up as Lucifer had him cornered. He cowered, waiting for the final strike-

Ventus, bead tucked under one arm, slashed Lucifer's paw away. The cat yowled in surprise, and Ven held up his Keyblade, yelling "Time to play, cat!"

Jaq smiled "Ven Ven!"

Ventus only shook his head and handed the pearl back to Jaq "Take the pearl, Jaq! Get outta here! Run!"

Jaq grabbed it "Zug zug!"

Ventus barely acknowledged Jaq, staring down the cat. He rolled away when he noticed a paw strike at him, and quickly retaliated. He smacked Lucifer on his nose, yelling "BAD CAT!" Lucifer was distracted, and Ventus ran for the mouse hole.

After all, he still had a dress to sew and a friend to help.

~~..*..~~

Cinderella sat by her window, sighing "Oh well, what's a royal ball? After all, I suppose it would be frightfully dull, and boring, and... and... completely..." she smiled sadly, daydreams beginning to form "Completely wonderful..."

Ventus then noted Jaq's signal, and pushed open the armoire "Hey Cinderella!"

She turned, and gasped at the lovely dress inside "Is that my dress?!"

Ventus nodded "Yeah, it's a present from us." Jaq nodded while Ventus continued "Now you have a dress for the ball."

Cinderella rushed over, holding them up and beaming "Why it's... it's such a surprise!"

Jaq only motioned for her to go "Flurry! Flurry! Timea go Cinderellie!"

She teared up "Oh thank you..."

~~..*..~~

Later, when Cinderella had already left, Ventus and Jaq watched the stars in the sky.

"Jaq Jaq hopea Cinderellie's dream come true." Jaq turned to Ventus "Whatsa Ven Ven dream?"

Ventus lowered his gaze, thinking. "huh..."

_"Being a Keyblade Master is all I've ever dreamed about!"_

_"Well, you're not the only one!"_

_"I know. You me and Ven, we all share the same dream."_

Ventus laughed "Funny, I've never really thought about it." he then held out his hand "At least until you asked me." light began gathering in his hand as he affirmed "My dream, is to become a Keyblade Master."

Jaq grinned "Hopea Ven Ven dream come true too!"

Ventus dismissed his Keyblade 'I just need to keep on believing, right?"

Jaq nodded "Zug zug."

They returned their gaze to the castle in the distance "Just like she did. She ended up going to her Castle of Dreams..."


	7. Chapter 7

The night on this world was still and quiet as Terra walked under the moonlight-streaked trees. He glanced upward, recalling the very same constellations he had been taught at the Land of Departure.

_Pegasus, Andromeda, Perseus, Cassiopeia, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, Scorpio, Ursa Major and Minor..._ he silently recited to himself.

He felt himself smile at the thought of Ventus and Aqua's favorites: Perseus and Ophiuchus. Ven had always admired the heroics of Perseus, and Aqua loved the tale of Ophiuchus pursuing medicine and knowledge to help others. Well, she didn't like how he got struck down for his actions, but admired that the gods in the story were kind enough to at least put up a memory.

He was brought from his musings by the soft sound of sobbing, and he tore his gaze from the heavens to see a young woman in a torn pink dress. He walked over and knelt next to her, asking "Is something wrong?"

"I-its just, my friends made me the most beautiful dress, but my stepmother and stepsisters ruined it, and I was so looking forward to the ball!"

Terra thought about this for a moment. As far as he could tell, there was no reason to keep such a lovely young lady like this away from a ball. He then held her shoulder "Darkness always finds a way into a wounded heart. You have to be strong." He then figured he'd share his master's advice "Strength of heart will carry you through the hardest of trials."

"B-but I..."

Terra didn't notice her trail off, finding Unversed gathering at the fountain behind them "Unversed!"

~~..*..~~

Ventus didn't like this castle. It was quiet, cold, and eerily silent. He had yet to see anyone besides himself as well. It gave him the shivers every time he thought he heard another set of footsteps. He took a look around as he walked, sighing

"Still no sign of Terra..." he paused at a dead-end, noting a door he had yet to explore. "Well, still another room to try." He told himself, trying to raise his spirits.

The room, like the rest, was lavishly furnished and filled with tapestries. It was also quite large, considering it was furnished as a bedroom. He began turning back, but saw a girl fast asleep in her bed. At least he hoped she was asleep, since she barely moved.

He crept over, marveling at her beautiful appearance, and finally noticing she didn't have a heart(he had always been_terrible_ at those lessons).

"Stop! You get away from her!"

Ventus jumped around, finding three old women- no, fairies, judging by their wings and wands -all dressed in red, green, or blue and glaring at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" he said with an apologetic smile "It's just, I've never seen anyone so beautiful."

The red fairy floated up to him "Who are you?"

He felt her piercing gaze as she fluttered about him, but firmly said "I'm Ventus, you can call me Ven."

The green one smiled "Oh, you don't seem bad, dear. I'm certain you have a pure heart, just like our precious Aurora."

Putting the pieces together, he figured the sleeping beauty over there was Aurora "Can you tell me why she's sleeping?"

The red fairy fiddled with her wand "Long ago Maleficent cursed her, now she's stolen her heart!"

Ventus took a little time to register that. A stolen heart... he never thought it could happen, but he had an unfamiliar sadness well up at the thought.

"Hmm... Well then, why don't I go get it back for her?"

"That's impossible, dear," the green fairy sighed "Maleficent's home is at the Forbidden Mountain, it's not safe."

"I'm not afraid!" Ventus instantly snapped "It's just... We can't just leave Aurora here like this! I can help, you gotta believe me!"

He felt hardly encouraged by their somber faces, but continued "Come on, let's go get her heart."

The red one brightened considerably "You know, you're absolutely right! The Forbidden Mountain is through the forest. Come along! Follow us! After all we wouldn't want you to get lost!"

Ventus nodded as the fairies dissolved into orbs of light in their respective colors, and followed them out of the castle.

~~..*..~~

Terra steadied himself when the battle was over, still hearing her heartbreaking sobs

"I-I can't believe...! Not anymore!"

Terra folded his arms, trying to figure out what to say. _Gah, she's not Aqua or anything Terra!_ "Uh-"

"Strength of heart is important," a kindly voice said out of the air "but that's not all you need."

Terra noticed light beginning to from around the girl as she sobbed "But there's nothing left to believe in, nothing."

"Nothing, my dear? Oh now, you don't really mean that." a woman dressed in periwinkle robes appeared, cradling the girl in her lap

"Oh but I do! It's just no use!"

"Nonsense! If you had lost all of your faith, I couldn't be here, and here I am!"

The girl was then held up by the kindly woman as she said "Come now, dry those tears, you can't go to the ball looking like that!"

The girl was confused "The... ball? Oh, but I'm not-"

The old woman raised her hand to silence her "Oh of course you are! But we'll have to hurry!" she pulled a long, thin wand out of her sleeve, then tapped her cheek with it muttering "Now what were those magic words..."

She snapped her fingers "Oh yes!" and walked over to a small pumpkin patch. She waved her wand, saying "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo!"

Sparks flew over, encasing a large pumpkin in light. Terra watched with a slack jaw as it tumbled over, then transformed into a full carriage. Seriously, horses and everything. The girl smiled, gasping in delight and wonder at it. Then sparks flew around her, the tattered dress repairing itself and becoming far more beautiful than before. She held out its skirt and tested her glass slippers "Oh! It's such a beautiful dress!"

She smiled at Terra, and he recovered from his shock to smile back. She then rushed to the fountain "Oh it's a dream come true!"

The kindly woman smiled sadly "Yes, but like all dreams I'm afraid this can't last forever."

The girl stopped admiring her reflection, and drew her attention back to the woman who had helped her.

"You'll have only till midnight, then at the stroke of twelve the spell will be broken, and everything will be as it was before."

The girl nodded, then hugged her hero "Yes, I understand."

And soon she was off, waving goodbye out of her carriage with the biggest grin Terra had seen anyone wearing. She even had Ventus beat.

~~..*..~~

Speaking of Ven, he walked out of the woods, and stopped in front of a wall of green, black, and purple flames. He pouted "Looks like we're stuck."

The red fairy only sighed just as frustratedly "This is Maleficent's doing!"

The green fairy had an idea "I know what to do!"

She floated over, and quickly undid the flames. She waved to the pathway beyond "Shall we?"

Ventus smiled, then resumed his journey "Yep! Now let's go!"

~~..*..~~

Terra was staring at the castle the girl had headed to, thinking aloud "Her heart was full of light, why didn't I see it?" he turned to the kind old woman "What did you do? I can hardly tell she's the same person!"

She smiled warmly, but asked "Who are you?"

"Terra."

"Terra, in your heart do you believe dreams can come true?"

"Of course I do, but I also believe you have to make an effort to make them come true."

"Yes, of course, but sometimes believing in dreams is easier said than done. Cinderella believes that dreams can come true, and I wanted to show her she was right."

Terra looked back at the path to the castle "So that's what made her shine, faith in her heart that anything is possible." he then asked "Where did she go?"

The woman said "To the royal ball at the palace! Go, and when you see her dancing, you'll know that she believes, and that will help you to believe too!"

Terra nodded "Okay then. Thanks."

He ran off, not giving a passing glance to the wonderful Fairy Godmother disappearing.

~~..*..~~

Terra jogged up the steps to the palace, then summoned his Keyblade with a sigh "Not here too!" He lunged at the Unversed, quickly and easily taking out the targets.

Cinderella gasped "Oh! I've met you before!"

Terra nodded "I'll take care of 'em, you wait right here."

She walked up to him "Please, may I come with you? I so want to get to the ball."

Terra watched her earnest face for a second, debating it. He then looked forward again "Alright, but stay behind me, or you'll get hurt."

Cinderella nodded.

Terra asked "But aren't you afraid?"

She giggled "But didn't you tell me to stay strong?"

He blinked, feeling a light blush "Oh, um... yes, I did, didn't I?" he placed his hand on the doors "So, you ready?"

Cinderella gathered her skirt and nodded.

Surprisingly, there was hardly any Unversed inside the castle. It was almost too quiet for Terra's tastes, but decided to relax.

He escorted Cinderella to the ballroom, and she curtsied "Oh thank you Mr... um-"

"Terra."

"Thank you Terra."

He smiled and waved her on with a light bow. He felt warm and fuzzy inside as she giggled again and walked into the crowd of dancers. This was certainly the gentlemanly thing to do, and a correct step towards redeeming himself. He was sure of it.

He looked up, noticing the crowd parting for Cinderella and a tall, handsome man. Judging by the attire, he surmised he was a very high ranking individual. He whispered to himself "Maybe just believing is enough..."

He turned to the corner when he heard a bitter voice, seeing two girls dressed in green and pink accompanied by a very old and stern woman in purple.

"But who is she mother?"

"Do we know her?"

"Well the prince certainly seems to! I've never seen her before!"

"Nor I, but she certainly is..." the woman's eyes widened "wait! There IS something familiar about her!"

Terra figured these three was Cinderella's step-family and he laughed lightly. He was about to leave when a blur of blue danced across the balcony.

He rushed to the dignitary a few feet away, asking "Tell me, how do I get up there?"

The man cleared his throat "Well, there is a passage underneath the foyer staircase."

Terra nodded and ran off "Thanks!"

He quickly dashed up, eliminating the Unversed on the balcony. He looked for more, finding a massive one dressed like a conductor rising up. It quickly slashed it's baton, and Terra covered his ears in an attempt to get rid of the ringing suddenly in them. He then leapt off, knowing an attack was imminent.

Seconds later, there was a charred carpet where Terra used to stand.

As the Unversed looked for its prey, Terra yelled "Down here!"

The Unversed floated over, readying itself for the challenge.

Terra heard the dignitary behind him yelling "Guards! Guards! Oh where can they be?"

Terra shook his head "I can take care of this."

He heard them run off, and Terra charged.

~~..*..~~

Ventus disliked Maleficent's castle even more. Gothic, dimly lit, grimy. He shuddered, but kept his spirits up at the thought of Aqua going ballistic on the dirty state. He could already imagine bubbly cleaning spells running her ragged as she rushed around with a bucket of soapy water and several cleaning utensils while she ranted about the sorry state of the place, thanks to previous encounters with neat freak Aqua running rampant in his room.

He pressed himself against the wall, finding their pathway blocked by guards. Hmm... only two... he thought, assessing the situation.

"Careful, they're Maleficent's."

"Well they ain't guarding nothin'." he then rushed into the fray "TEN-SHUN! No sleeping on the job!"

He quickly found reinforcements coming, but knew this was gonna be quick anyways.

~~..*..~~

Terra dodged the smaller batons, then the violin's malevolent melody, and leapt at the Unversed with one last rallying cry. It was slain in one last stroke, Terra glad the battle was over with minimal damage to the surroundings.

The dignitary from earlier approached and generously shook his hand "Thank you, you've saved us all!" he then sighed as he looked around the evacuated ballroom "And the guests were just starting to enjoy themselves..."

Terra remarked "Well I wouldn't give up just yet."

They both turned and watched Cinderella resume her dance with the prince. They stopped, apparently saying something. Terra was surprised it didn't carry over to them, the place being so large and echoing.

"Say, have you always had a problem around here with those monsters?" Terra inquired.

"Eh, no, I do believe they began to appear after a boy in a mask visited the kingdom. Those who saw him said the monsters obeyed his every command."

Terra muttered "A boy in a mask... Do you know where he is now?"

"Well... em, no, I don't believe anyone has seen him since then."

"I see..."

A bell began ringing. Cinderella gasped "Oh dear! It's midnight!"

The prince replied "Yes, so it is, but why?"

Cinderella dashed off "Goodbye!"

"Wait! Come back! Please come back!" the prince yelled after her.

Terra shook his head lightly, _Sorry bud, she's gonna be long gone..._

"I'm sorry!" Cinderella waved goodbye as she made a run for the palace gates.

~~..*..~~

Aqua sighed as she entered the castle. She counted off the number of worlds she had been to without any sign of Terra or Ventus... She shrugged, deciding to relax, enjoy things a bit, and looked around at the graceful architecture.

"W-Wait! Senorita! Mademoiselle! Wait!"

A woman ran by, followed by some high ranking official, causing Aqua to stop and tilt her head in confusion.

"What the-"

"Aqua!"

The master turned her head, finding Terra coming down the steps towards her. _FINALLY_, she sighed inwardly "Terra!"

As he jogged down the steps she told him what he had missed "Terra, Ven ran away from home."

Terra flinched, asking "What?"

Aqua only told him what she surmised "I think he left to go find you."

Terra looked at his shoes. _Oh jeez, Ventus is out there, without us, without the master, without any help but his own, probably cold, starving, ALONE-_

He stopped himself to pay attention to Aqua as she asked him "Do you have any idea why?"

Terra looked guilty "No." it then occurred to him, just before he left "Actually, just before I left he tried to tell me something." he held a hand to his face, groaning at his stupidity "I should've listened to what he had to say!"

"Oh..." Aqua fidgeted with her sleeves, feeling Terra's guilt. "So," she sighed, directing things to their mission "did you locate Master Xehanort?"

Terra shook his head "No, but it seems he's looking for pure hearts, filled with light."

Aqua repeated it, still so confused "Pure hearts... filled with light..."

Terra walked away "All I can tell you is that his search hasn't taken him here."

Aqua nodded, frowning worriedly "Alright. I'll stay here and see if I can find more clues."

"Okay, the prince is in the ballroom ahead. He might have some answers."

"Thanks..."

She wondered if she should tell Terra the things she had wanted to tell him for so long: like it was her fault that one time when the stained glass in the hallway broke, or her who accidentally filled his Keyblade armor with whipped cream, or-

"Aqua."

She stopped, turning back to Terra "Do you still have the same dream?"

"Well... Yes." _part of it is achieved, yes, but it will only be complete with you and Ven, Terra-_

"Well there's this girl here, her name is Cinderella. She made me realize just how powerful it is to believe. No matter how impossible things seem, a powerful enough dream, will always be enough to light the darkness."

Aqua nodded, smiling in agreement. She felt herself melt slightly when he returned the sentiment "If you see her, tell her I said thanks."

"Will do."

As he left, she turned to the ballroom, feeling hopeful again "He'll be alright. He won't give in to it."

~~..*..~~

Terra pushed aside the doors, thinking. _The boy in the mask who is leading the unversed... Who is he? Does he have anything to do with Master Xehanort's disappearance?_ He felt a horrid tingle down his spine,

_Will he go after Ven?_


	8. Chapter 8

Aqua walked past a trio of ladies, all of them scowling. She suddenly stopped as they passed by, then turned to watch them. She suddenly rubbed herself, trying to remove the sickening feeling of darkness. A man rushed by, and she asked

"Who are those ladies?"

He turned around and jogged back "Oh, I-if I recall correctly, that is Lady Tremaine and those are her daughters."

Aqua turned, shuddering._ There was something... Very WRONG about them..._

"You came back- Oh, my apologies, I thought you were someone else..." The prince Terra had mentioned had walked over, and the man who had identified Lady Tremaine said "Your highness, I found this on the palace stairs!"

Aqua was too busy lingering on the thoughts of the darkness that still made her skin crawl, but heard the item identified as a glass slipper. Her mind slightly wandered from her duties and training as a Keyblade Master to think _Those must be really uncomfortable..._

"One dropped by a lovely young lady, and I'll search far and wide to find the maiden to whom this belongs."

Aqua looked order, noting that indeed the whole thing was crystal glass. Aqua felt her feet ache slightly at the thought of wearing that, it was so small, it would get sweaty...

"You will?" The prince asked.

"Of course your highness! After all, you've finally found someone whom you wish to marry!" Aqua was snapped out of thoughts of glass footwear, suddenly thinking of Terra "Upon hearing that happy news, your father has decreed that a quest begin immediately throughout the kingdom, and I shall start with the closest residence, that of Lady Tremaine."

"A... W-what?" She asked, too dazed to register much, but the courier had already left to begin his search. So had the prince, probably to wait and hope.

She returned back to her duties, thinking of the woman so filled with darkness. _Lady Tremaine... I'd better pat her a visit._ She began following them, wondering what had caused them to become so tainted.

~~..*..~~

Terra pulled up his Keyblade Glider at the base of a twisting tower. The sky seemed eternally caught in the middle of twilight and night. As he walked towards the door, a small mouse dressed in gray ran by, a Keyblade bared. He stopped right when Terra noticed him, and pulled out a star, yelling "ALAKAZAM!"

A light from the star engulfed him, and he cried out as the light bounced around the sky and faded to a glimmer.

Terra sat there for a second. _That was... Odd..._ He then shook his head and resumed walking. He groaned at the sight of several flights of stairs, but firmed up and began a long trek to the top. He had an old wizard to meet.

~~..*..~~

Aqua arrived at a chateau, slightly crumbling and old but still quite regal. She heard a voice from inside, sickeningly laced with flattery "You honor our humble home, my lord."

She heard the dignitary from earlier clear his throat "Quite so."

"May I present my daughters, Anastaisa and Drizella."

Aqua lightly shook her head, rubbing herself a little more vigorously "As I feared, there is darkness here." She summoned her Keyblade, ready to purge the household of the foul stuff-

"Wait!"

Aqua turned, finding a kind old woman materializing before her very eyes "Who are you?"

"Cinderella's fairy godmother, I appear to those who believe that dreams come true."

Aqua bowed lightly "Then I'm honored, but why would you advise me not to fight the darkness with light?"

"Strong rays of sun create dark shadows," she explained "sadly, Lady Tremaine and both her daughters are jealous of Cinderella's charm and beauty, qualities that appear to you as light, jealousy is darkness. light and dark go hand-in-hand, can't have one without the other."

Aqua lifted her Keyblade to look at it, trying to think "Then... What should I do?"

"It's quite side dear, one of Cinderella's friends is trying very hard to keep her light from fading, I want you to join little Jaq, and help him."

Aqua agreed without hesitation "I can do that."

"You'll need a bit of my magic to help Jaq, let me know when you are ready."

Aqua walked up to her "I'm always ready." And she closed her eyes as she felt light surround her, feeling weightless- no, small.

She was shrinking. Suddenly a wind whisked her away, and right into an open window above.

~~..*..~~

In a place far away from Terra, Aqua, and Ventus, was an observation deck looking over waterfalls and piping for the grand city above. Xehanort was discussing his plans with a rather handsome young man with coal-black hair and golden eyes in a proper uniform that could have been part of a guard.

The young man smiled, and walked away.

~~..*..~~

Terra had finally finished his climb, slightly tired, but he still bowed to the old and wise sorcerer in front of him.

"Master Yen Sid."

The man, ancient with a long grey beard and deep blue robes, turned slowly and deliberately from his window to acknowledge Terra.

"My name is Terra-"

"Yes, Eraqus's pupil. I've been expecting you. It is the Unversed."

Terra nodded "Yea, Master Yen Sid, I thought it best to seek the counsel of one wiser than myself."

Yen Sid said with slight annoyance "I am no longer a Master, I doffed that mantle."

Terra then asked, careful not to call him a master again "But sir, wasn't that your pupil I passed on the way in? He had a Keyblade."

"You defer to Mickey." The old man sighed "He too sought guidance here, as a King he is good and kind," Terra felt himself flinch. He was in the presence of a KING and he didn't do anything to signal his respect. He made a note to berate himself about this later.

"But the weight of a crown has not cured him of impetuousness. He has left with an object whose power he does not understand nor know how to control. Mickey imagines my star shard will be of use in his current quest, and like you, he is eager to use his Keyblade to set things right."

Terra blurted out his confusion "I'm not sure if I even understand what's wrong. Master Xehanort is missing, and now I've learned there's a masked boy, controlling those Unversed, on the loose."

Yen Sid merely said "To arrive at the truth, perhaps you should approach things differently." He made sure he had Terra's attention before continuing "First, consider them one and the same problem."

Terra went along with it "Master Xehanort and the Unversed are connected somehow?"

Yen Sid's voice dropped to a whisper to himself "I must not make assumptions..." He raised it again "Find Xehanort, Terra. That is where you should begin."

Terra bowed "Yes sir." And he left to resume his search.

When Terra had left, Yen Sid sighed "I had hoped, Xehanort, your heart had no longer lead you astray..."

~~..*..~~

Aqua, now a convenient (read: annoying) mouse size, clambered down from the desk full of books and dress materials. She nodded approvingly as she grazed a few titles, having read and thoroughly enjoyed a few herself.

Once on the floor, she discovered a mouse dragging along a massive key- well... Massive to them.

She walked over, noting his angry grumbles "Are you okay?"

The mouse replied "Cinderellie... stepmuddy lock her in her room...! Gotta let her out...! Gotta save Cinderellie!"

Aqua summoned her Keyblade, thinking of a convenient levitation spell "Let me help you."

"Ah, zug zug." The mouse said with a smile. He then noticed Aqua's Keyblade "Ooh! Thatsa like Ven Ven's! Didja ever meet a Ven Ven?"

Aqua felt her heart skip a beat, then said hurriedly "I'm Aqua, but tell me how you know about Ven."

"Usa friends. Good friends. Ven Ven helpa Jaq fixa Cinderellie dress!"

"And where is he now?"

Jaq looked a little sad "Rooker for a friend. Other friend."

Aqua laughed sadly "I see... Ven, you must have just missed Terra."

There was an annoyed cry from the other room "I just can't understand why! It always fit perfectly before!"

"Quite enough of this, the next young lady."

"Oh no! Heara that? We gotta flurry! Cinderellie gotta try on that slipper!" Jaq began running "Come on come on! Gotta flurry- AHH!"

An Unversed leapt at Jaq, who backed away while saying "No no no no no! We gotta flurry!"

Aqua abandoned the thought of levitating the key to Cinderella, steeping in front of Jaq and saying "Dont worry, leave it to me. Jaq don't lose that key!"

~~..*..~~

Terra flew through the Lanes Between, stars and other worlds just a blur.

_Terra..._

He jumped upon hearing Xehanort's voice in his head "Master Xehanort!"

_Terra, come see me at once._

Terra nodded, finding a gateway forming. He flew through it, hoping Xehanort was on the other end.

~~..*..~~

Jaq and Aqua hurried through the Unversed, Aqua doing everything in her power to Keep Jaq safe. Setting up mines, firing fiery blasts, encasing as many as she could in ice... as soon as they were gone, Jaq vanished into a mousehole with a cry of thanks.

Aqua peered in to follow, but very quickly decided to watch Lady Tremaine, as she discovered the place was as unkempt as a mousehole was expected to be.

She climbed onto the banister in the next room, watching the events unfold.

"You are sure you are the only ladies here?"

"There's no one else, your grace."

_Liar..._ Aqua frowned "Come on, hurry Jaq..."

The man began leaving, Aqua's hopes for a happy ending starting to shatter. She looked around desperately for a distraction or signal of some kind, then decided to run around, perhaps being mistaken for a mouse-

"WOAH~!A-AHH~!" She suddenly grew back to normal size, and lost her balance on the banister and fell to the marble floor beneath her. She landed very painfully on her ankle, and bit back a few tears of pain. She took a look at it (Twisted, nothing more. She was thankful for her armored boots, otherwise it would've been broken) then glanced up to find everyone staring at her.

She improvised "Oh, um, w-would it be alright if I tried on the glass slipper?"

It didn't work "Oh, I met you at the palace! I am sorry, but you are not the lady the young prince is looking for."

Aqua stood very gingerly, trying hard not to put weight on her ankle while she cast a healing spell on it "But I am a girl, I should at least be given a chance to try it on."

Lady Tremaine walked forward, sneering "Who are you? and what are you doing in my house?!"

"She's probably here to rob us!"

"Mother! Do something!"

Lady Tremaine only said "This girl does not live here, I have only two daughters. I believe we're finished here, your grace."

Aqua glanced up at the room she came from.

The man approached Aqua "Come now, she means no harm." he held out the slipper "Here you are, my dear."

She stalled, gritting her teeth "Come on, hurry Jaq!"

She accepted it with a forced smile, then set it aside to take off her boot as meticulously and slow as possible-

"Excuse me, your grace! Wait! May I try on the slipper?"

Everyone looked up to find Cinderella hurrying down the stairs. Smiling truthfully now, Aqua picked up the slipper and handed it back "Let her go first while I take off my shoes. It will take a while." In all honesty, she could have just pressed a button located at the cuff to have them pop off for emergency, but there was no need to.

"P-pay no attention to her, she's just an imaginative child!"

The man rolled his eyes "Madam, my orders were EVERY maiden."

Aqua walked by as Lady Tremaine tried to keep the slipper away from Cinderella, saying "Seriously, let her go first."

She held out a hand to Cinderella, who allowed Aqua to guide her to a chair.

"Thank you," Cinderella said, smiling with tears in her eyes.

Aqua shook her head "Actually, I want to thank you... " she started backing away "For teaching Terra he needs to keep believing."

Cinderella was startled lightly by Aqua's mention of Terra, but Aqua had already backed away.

As the slipper reached closer and closer to Cinderella, Lady Tremaine held out her foot, tripping up its bearer. It flew into the air, and crashed with the sound of a million dreams breaking. The man lamented the loss as he tried putting the pieces together, wondering how on earth he was going to track down the mystery girl now. Lady Tremaine smirked at his loss. If she wasn't going to have that power, no one should. Even Aqua, disliking the shoes as much as she did, was frowning at the loss of such a happy end.

Cinderella only smiled "Oh please don't worry. You see," she reached into her pocket, pulling out an exact replica for the other foot "I have the other."

Lady Tremaine looked shocked at how quickly her victory vanished while the man quickly snatched it up, kissing it in joy. They tried it on, and it was a perfect fit.

"A perfect fit! I must tell the prince immediately! You must come too, of course!"

Cinderella walked up, accepting his hand "I'd be happy to."

As they walked away, Aqua overheard her stepfamly's anguished cries.

"It's not fair! She's a scullery maid!"

"Mother! Are you just going to let them leave?!"

Aqua halted upon hearing Lady Tremaine's response "No... Cinderella will be put in her place."

Aqua turned around "It's too late. Honestly, the best thing you can do right now is learn to have a little compassion."

Lady Tremaine was now inches from her "It's all your fault she got what she didn't deserve."

Aqua leaned in even more, hissing "It's all your fault she had the friends to help her. If you had just left her alone we wouldn't have wanted to help." Aqua pushed open the door "Good day, Lady Tremaine."


	9. Chapter 9

The portal opened up to a desolate landscape. Red, barren and cracked earth, dust blowing constantly, not a single soul in sight-

"Master Xehanort!"

Terra parked his Keyblade Glider in front of the old master, dismissing it and his armor. He then said "I have been to other worlds, I know all about the things you've done. I just don't understand why."

Xehanort replied "Someone had to safeguard the light, from a demon I unleashed."

Terra blinked, eyes wide with shock.

Xehanort continued "You must know about the boy by now, the one in the mask."

Terra nodded.

"His name is Vanitas. A creature of pure darkness. One of my making."

Terra thoughtfully repeated the name "Vanitas." he then asked "Are you telling me he came from you?"

Terra wasn't prepared to hear the answer that followed

"He came from Ventus."

Terra was so caught in protective rage he summoned his Keyblade "THAT'S A LIE!"

"Yes, it is true. Vanitas is the darkness that was inside your friend."

"You're. LYING." Terra hissed through his gritted teeth.

"It was an accident. While training with me, Ventus succumbed to the darkness, and there was but one way to save him. Strip that part of him away, and thus Vanitas was born."

Terra thought about it, then dismissed his Keyblade and bowed breifly "...I'm sorry for my outburst."

"No matter. In the process, I damaged Ventus's heart in the most horrific way. So, I did what I felt was right, and left him in the care of Eraqus." Xehanort held a hand to his head in shame "I knew the boy could not stay with me, the man who did him such grievous harm."

Terra felt sorry for Xehanort after he showed so much regret "Master Xehanort, Ventus has gotten a lot better since then," Terra walked a little closer, but retained a respectable distance "you shouldn't blame yourself for trying to save him."

Xehanort turned to him "Well, thank you lad. You know how to put an old man's heart at ease."

Terra nodded, feeling himself grow happier at the thought that it wasn't entirely his fault that Ventus was hurt so many years ago...

~~..*..~~

Terra and Aqua were going through basic drill, working on arm strength, accuracy, familiarity with their Keyblades. They stopped when they heard the doors open, a visitor being such a rare thing. Terra was the first to walk to the banister, peering down at the company curiously.

"Terra, we need to-"

"Hey! A new kid!" Terra exclaimed gleefully.

Ventus, obediently standing right next to Master Xehanort, was in the doorway. Xehanort began walking, and Ventus followed several seconds after, slow to register the motion. His pace was hesitant, sluggish. Terra instantly felt a little worry for the new trainee with gold hair.

Aqua stopped next to him "Oh, he looks so young..."

"Aqua, come on, we've been training since before that age, don't call him young."

"It's just... he looks..." she sighed frustratingly "Oh, I don't know how to explain it! You wouldn't understand with that thick head of yours anyways!"

"Hey!"

Ventus had stopped while Xehanort moved on to Master Eraqus. He didn't know what to do upon seeing this new man, and felt a slight fear tug at his shattered heart.

Xehanort then pulled Eraqus aside, beginning to inform the master of what had happened.

Aqua looked at Terra worriedly "Although really... That boy... is he okay?"

Terra shrugged "I'll go see, if that will make you feel better, Aqua."

Terra jogged down the steps, and stopped in front of Ven, who didn't notice his presence. Terra took note of how Ventus appeared like a sedated animal, then said calmly and slowly "I'm Terra, what's your name?" he knew he should be gentle with this, but kept wondering what had caused the boy to behave like this.

Ven slowly raised his head, revealing his dull and lifeless blue eyes.

"V-Ventus..." He sighed, his voice hollow with a broken lilt.

Terra chuckled, trying to add levity to the situation "Whew, you can talk!"

He turned up to the balcony "Aqua! Come on, he seems okay!"

Aqua smiled and hurried down, excited to meet someone new. _Maybe he isn't as hopeless as Terra is with magic! Maybe he'll be staying!_

She bent down to Ventus's level "Hi, I'm Aqua!"

Ventus looked at them then slowly repeated "Terra... Aqua..."

Terra asked "So, are you here to train with us?"

Aqua agreed "We've been waiting to see someone else learning the secrets of the Keyblade alongside us!"

The the torrent of questions arrived, mostly from Terra.

"Where ya from?"

"Have you read about Yen Sid's principles of magic?"

"Who was that man with you?"

Ventus started shifting around more and more, starting to groan lightly. His head was starting to split open as he searched for answers, but it seemed like questions just kept coming without any sign of an answer in sight.

"You good with a Keyblade-"

Ventus suddenly collapsed, screaming in anguish.

Terra and Aqua knelt next to him, unsure of what to do and scared out of their minds.

"Oh jeez! I-I'm sorry! What's the matter?"

"Are you okay? _Terra_-"

"What did you do?!"

Eraqus and Xehanort arrived, Eraqus looking angrier than usual.

"Nothing!" Terra said, confused and guilty "I-I just asked him some stuff!"

Eraqus shook his head as Xehanort cradled Ventus "Ventus cannot tell you anything, because he cannot remember anything."

Terra and Aqua looked at Ventus, now unconscious and still as death.

And it felt so horribly like Terra's fault.

~~..*..~~

Terra reassured himself that he was just naive, eager for a new friend. He didn't know Ven's condition back then.

He then took a deep breath and asked "But Master Xehanort, why is Vanitas still free?"

Xehanort turned around "Ah yes, well, I did my best to contain him the moment he emerged, but..."

"He managed to escape."

Xehanort nodded, walking towards Terra "Vanitas uses the Keyblade to sow seeds of darkness, and now you see the worlds teem with his ghastly underlings."

Terra quickly named them as Xehanort passed by "The Unversed!"

"He has no control over the darkness in his heart. The Keyblade is not his to bear." Xehanort turned to Terra "He's an abomination beyond hope of salvation." he then pleaded "Lend me your strength, Terra, right this wrong that I have wrought!"

Terra held a hand to his chin "But, I have no idea where to find him."

Xehanort helpfully provided some information "All I can tell you about Vanitas amounts to this: his darkness is drawn to the light, which he seeks to disrupt, and then destroy."

Terra was continuing to think about where to find him- Horrible, prophetic images flashed through his mind:

_Ventus, in his own set of Keyblade armor without the helmet, lifeless on the ground-_

_Then the three of them holding their charms-_

_Aqua in her armor, helmetless as well and collapsing-_

_Ventus and Aqua smiling at him-_

_The same duo in a heap on the ground, the point of a blade raised and prepared to strike against Aqua-_

Terra tried clearing them away, listening to Xehanort.

"It stands to reason that he will strike next in the city of light, Radiant Garden."

Terra nodded "Don't worry master, I will take care of Vanitas."

Terra summoned his Keyblade armor, and mounted his glider to leave this world and head to Radiant Garden.

~~..*..~~

Aqua sighed as she walked down the path, _No Ven, Terra's off doing whatever he does, and nothing to do here-_

She heard a scream.

The dignitary from earlier ran into the courtyard, and Aqua quickly rushed over "What happened?! Where is Cinderella?!"

The man took a moment to catch his breath, then said "S-she was attacked b-by a creature! A-a monster in the forest!"

Aqua nodded, and ran in the direction of the scream.

She entered the forest, finding Cinderella collapsed on the ground with stepfamily standing a short distance away, a hideous pumpkin carriage monster between both.

Aqua dove on top of Cinderella, casting reflect just as bursts of fire began raining down on them. She coughed lightly when the smoke cleared, then shifted over "Are you alright?"

Lady Tremaine only laughed "This is what happens when you go against my wishes-"

There was a sudden explosion at their feet, and Aqua cringed at the horrid sight of them hurtling away into the forest as their clothes burned.

She shook her head "The darkness in their hearts overtook them." she helped Cinderella up "Go! I'll take care of this!"

She turned to the monster, readying her Keyblade.

~~..*..~~

Ventus had just finished navigating Maleficent's castle, and he approached the flames concealing Aurora's heart. He thought for a moment, then looked at his Keyblade and nodded. He aimed it at the heart, willing his Keyblade to free it. The flames dissipated, and the heart soared off to its body.

Ventus pumped his fist in delight "That should do it!"

Ventus began walking away, but paused as he felt a tingle rush up his spine. "Huh?" His vision faded to white, memories overtaking it.

_"Don't you remember?" a man asked "We've met before!"_

_"W-we have?" Aurora, now dressed very plainly, asked. She was trying to back away from the man that held her hand, nervous._

_"Why of course, you said so yourself! Once upon a dream!"_

_The man had let go, Aurora taking opportunity to turn run away... but she turned back, smiling. They danced, laughing, falling in love, then rested under the shade of a tree. Aurora leaned her head on his shoulder "I never thought I would meet you, outside of my dreams, that is."_

_The man leaned his head on hers in a loving gesture "Who are you? What is your name?"_

_"Hmm? Oh, m-my name, it's-" She suddenly stopped "Oh, oh no I can't!"_

_She ran away "Goodbye!"_

_"I must see you!" The man extended his hand after her. She stopped throwing up her hands "Oh I don't know, maybe someday!"_

_"When, tomorrow?"_

_Aurora stopped again, biting her lip. She then turned around and said "Oh no, this evening, at the cottage in the glen."_

Ventus shook his head, a few stars twinkling in his eyes "What was that?" He asked as he collected himself.

"Aurora's memory." the red fairy said happily "She must have gotten her heart back!"

"So her dream came true!" Ventus said with a smile.

"Yes, not long ago. Dreams are very strong beliefs, Aurora's lead her to her true love."

The green fairy sighed "You have very strong beliefs too, don't you dear?"

"Yep."

"You also have a strong light." Ventus tilted his head and thought about that. He did?-

"Alright! Hurry! We can't stay here!" the blue fairy piped up. Ventus dismissed the thought, and followed them out.

~~..*..~~

The prince paced in front of the castle, waiting for news of some kind. He loved that girl's smile, her grace, her charm, she knew how to make him laugh-

He stopped upon seeing Cinderella, then rushed down the steps "Yes! It's you!" They met in the middle of the staircase, hugging each other close.

Aqua, leaning against the reflection pool a good distance away, smiled. She couldn't help but imagine her in Terra's arms like that...

She was disturbed from her daydreams by the Fairy Godmother approaching her. She then nodded her head to Cinderella "A pure heart filled with light." she mused aloud "It's strange, the Master taught me the darkness needs to be destroyed... but how, if not with light?"

The Fairy Godmother smiled "Oh my dear, you're too young to know. Experience more things, and you'll find the answer. Just trust in your dreams."

Aqua nodded, turning back to the prince and Cinderella and watching their happiness fill the whole world.


	10. Chapter 10

Aqua brushed aside a few branches as she walked through the forest of this new world. She felt uncertain about what was going to happen, like being split like this was the least of her worries. She suddenly stopped, finding seven dwarves kneeling in front of a glass case and sobbing. She walked over, asking in concern "What has happened here?"

A dwarf lifted his head "Oh poor Snow White..."

Aqua walked in closer, peering into the glass. "Oh...!" she found a young girl inside, most likely around Ventus's age, still as death. She felt a heart, but it was weak and dying. Aqua couldn't shake the horrifying similarities to Ventus. She felt her mind wander into worried paranoia: What if he had relapsed somehow? Fallen into another coma, forgotten in some distant corner in a multitude of worlds where he would lie there, never to wake again?

"She was just as sweet as could be."

"She sang us perty songs..."

"And made us smile."

"At bedtime, she told wonderful stories,"

"About fallin in love and the prince she'd met."

"And when we went to work, she'd give us all a kiss."

"She was so full of kindness, why she made better folk of all of us."

Aqua nodded "From what you've said, she must have been very loved..." she turned to the one who had answered her earlier "But how did this happen to her?"

"A wicked queen was horribly jealous of our dear Snow White's beauty, so she used her evil magic to change into an old hag, and she gave Snow White a poisoned apple."

The dwarf next to him finished the story "And by the time we got here... well... it was just too late. We found the princess as still as can be. Nothing we would do would wake her."

"She's not dead yet!" Aqua said "Isn't there some way we can help her?"

The dwarf shrugged "Well, not unless somebody craves the bastle- I-I mean braves the castle."

One of the dwarves stood "Well all you fools can stay here doin' nothing! I'm not a feared of goin'! Not even to that witch's lair!"

"You'll never make it! The castle's supposed to be guarded with magic, and crawling with monsters!"

Aqua stood taller. SHE was a Keyblade MASTER. It was HER job to resolve conflict like this.

"Alright, then I'll go."

"You will?"

She nodded "I will, leave it to me."

"Well alright, my dear, we'd be much obliged."

~~..*..~~

It was easy finding the castle, it being possibly the most central landmark of the world. The gates were wide open, and Aqua figured the rumor about being protected by magic was fake. Still, there was a hum in her bones, notifying of a spell coming from somewhere inside, but it was very faint, almost unnoticeable. Out of habit of seeing such a dusty place, she grabbed some branches to make a broom, and began sweeping the palace grounds.

"Ugh, this is a CASTLE, people! Treat it like so!" she grumbled.

"Oh! is it- no..."

Aqua glanced up to find a prince approaching her. She held her makeshift broom off to the side "Is something wrong?"

"This castle, it's... different somehow." he then added with a sigh "And I can't find the beautiful princess or hear her lovely voice. I thought you were her for a moment. Was it all a dream?"

"Wait a sec," Aqua recalled Snow White being referred to as a princess "You mean you know Snow White?"

The prince smiled "Ah yes, we met once. It was a song that drew us together. Has something happened to the princess?"

Aqua nodded solemnly "Yes, I'm afraid so. The wicked queen tricked her into eating a poisoned apple-"

"I must go to her! Where is she?"

"In the woods, guarded by seven kind dwarves."

"I will find her, perhaps there's a way I can help." and the prince dashed away, leaving Aqua alone again. She stared at her broom very grumpily, then swept a little more and tossed it away into some bushes. She closed her eyes, focusing for a moment, then said "Maybe that magic I'm feeling is what will help Snow White."

~~..*..~~

Delving into the dungeon was one of Aqua's least favorite experiences. On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being DISGUSTING and ten being perfectly clean and sterile, the rank place deserved a _-5_ at best. The only reason she pursued the magic was because of Snow White. _She's asleep, just like Ven was..._ she thought,_ I need to help them. I wouldn't wish that sadness on anyone else._

Eventually the dungeon opened up to a room, a mirror being the only thing of note. The humming was stronger now, like her bones were trying to escape. _This is some powerful stuff..._ "Something's not right."

Aqua cautiously approached the mirror, and she decided to set aside her spell seeking instincts. She let out a relieved sigh as the jarring feeling inside of her vanished. She then let her hand graze the mirror-

She backflipped away when thunder and lightning boomed from within, summoning her Keyblade. It was no use to though, as seconds later she was drawn into its nightmarish realm.

~~..*..~~

Ventus was going back through the mostly empty castle at a good clip. _At this rate I can go find Terra-_

He halted, a black robed woman standing in the empty room.

"Someone has released Aurora's heart." she turned around "Tell me, child, was it you?"

"Maleficent!" the red fairy hissed, confirming Ven's suspicions. He summoned his Keyblade "Only because you stole it in the first place!" he leapt at her, but only found himself striking at green flames.

"A Keyblade..." he jolted when her voice came out of nowhere "You must be Ventus."

He found her, then snapped "How do you know about me, and the Keyblade?!"

"My powers ensure that I'd know of the key to bringing me hearts, Terra gave me a demonstration."

Ventus felt his blood boil "TERRA WOULD NEVER- w-wait... Terra? He was here?!"

"Why yes, in fact, it was he who stole princess Aurora's heart."

Ventus shook his head "THAT'S A LIE YOU OLD HAG!"

Maleficent scowled "I was asked to leave you unharmed, but it seems I have no choice!"

The fairies quickly zoomed over, while both Maleficent and Ventus readied themselves for battle.

~~..*..~~

Aqua took a deep breath upon exiting the mirror. She had really only read about the principles and techniques around an exorcism, but putting the information into practice was easier than she thought it would be. It just involved a lot more fighting than she wanted it to.

She heard the mirror behind her speak "The queen is gone, my service done! Adieu, o victorious one."

Aqua approached the mirror again, making sure it was gone. She pressed her hand firmly against the glass, and sighed. She could see happy memories of her, Terra, and Ventus dancing around-

The mirror, left without a host, suddenly cracked into pieces, and Aqua felt the very same about her life as she left it behind to go tell the dwarves that she had failed.

~~..*..~~

They were still mourning, the prince having removed his cap out of respect. "No luck, huh?" Aqua asked, feeling the weight on her spirit as well.

The prince nodded, and then walked over to Snow White. He gently removed the glass case, and knelt down to place a kiss on her lips. Aqua looked away, hating the feelings welling up inside of her. Kingdom Hearts, this could happen to her or Terra, or Ven-

She gasped as Snow White stirred. Everyone gaped in awe as she sat up, then was scooped up lovingly into the prince's arms. The dwarves began celebrating, cartwheeling and dancing in glee that their beloved princess was safe and sound. Aqua smiled "That's so sweet, just like a miracle..."

She recalled what had happened a week or so after Ventus falling into a coma, glad this outcome was the same.

~~..*..~~

Aqua sat by Ventus, worriedly brushing aside his hair and hoping for a sign of life. It had been a week now, and Master Eraqus had said that the only thing they could do was hope for a miracle. Otherwise, Ventus would die. Eraqus refused to say the cause, saying that it was worse enough having a companion arrive with death at his heels. He told them it was best to disassociate themselves so that the likely event of Ven not surviving would sting less.

But still, whenever either Aqua or Terra had free time, they would sit beside Ventus and try to get him to wake. Aqua even knew Terra expressed heaps of regret over asking Ventus so many questions and throwing him into such a grave situation, although she doubted he knew that she was aware of his tears.

"Ventus, why won't you wake up?" Aqua asked. She then sighed at the absence of a response, then left to resume her lessons.

She stopped when she heard a gentle breath, a murmur of life.

Aqua turned, finding Ventus opening his eyes and staring at the roof of his new bedroom with a lackluster gaze. She rushed over as he sat up, exclaiming with tears in her eyes "Oh! Ventus! You're awake! It's a miracle!"

She ran to the doorway, screaming with joy "TERRA! MASTER ERAQUS! VENTUS IS AWAKE!"

Terra was the first over, laughing in relief and joy over the sight "He's fine! He's alive!"

~~..*..~~

Aqua smile as she watched Snow White kiss each of her dwarves goodbye, then walked away with her dear prince. _Every waking is a new journey,_ she thought, _Maybe Ven left because it was his time..._

~~..*..~~

Aqua found her next world to be grim and dark. She found a decrepit castle awaiting her. "Ventus could be in there." she told herself "Or terra. They're both a little... unsharp." she laughed lightly at her own musings, but stopped upon seeing a light.

"What's that?" _a single? a cry for help-_

A heart flew past her. She drew her Keyblade, and rushed into the castle to investigate.

~~..*..~~

Maleficent slowly climbed back to higher ground, Ventus still fuming "There's no way Terra would hurt anybody like that!"

Aqua walked in, suspicious upon hearing what she thought was Ven's voice.

"You don't believe me? That's unfortunate, for he agreed so easily!"

Ventus felt his guard drop "H-he did...?"

Aqua rushed in "Ven! Don't be fooled!"

Ventus snapped his head up, then smiled "Aqua!"

Aqa nodded, but was still unsure of what exactly Terra was suspicious of "Terra would never do that! You know that as well as I do."

Ventus nodded "Yeah."

Maleficent chuckled "Ah, the truth can be most cruel, even among the closest of friends! After all, one never knows the secrets of another's heart! I'm sure you'll agree, Ventus, Aqua."

They only glowered at the witch. Aqua then said "The master sent me." she held out her hand "Ven, let's go home."

Ven shook his head "But Terra-"

"Terra's not ready to leave yet." Aqua said like she was explaining her and Terra's dangerous mission to a child. That's what Ventus was to her, her son who she could never let in such struggles.

Ven, meanwhile, referred to the masked boy's words:_ "Like right now. He's leaving you behind, and by the time you catch up he'll be a different person."_ Ventus then shook his head "I'm sorry Aqua, but... I can't go with you."

Aqua barely got to ask before he snapped at her "It's just- I have to find him before it's too late!" He ran off, _I've wasted enough time here!_

"Ven!" Aqua called after him, but he didn't listen, and vanished into the halls of Maleficent's domain.

"I see you too wield a Keyblade." Maleficent said.

Aqua dropped her pursuit of Ventus "What do you know about the Keyblade?"

"A source of power, a key that opens the hearts of men, of entire worlds, and allows one to obtain anything and everything. Such a power I find most fascinating. "

Aqua felt herself falter now that Ventus was gone. Piecing together the heart and what Maleficent had said... she didn't like how easily it lined up that Terra had done that.

"So, Terra, he really...?"

"Yes, now, my dear, would you like to assist me as well?"

Aqua glared at her, and bared her Keyblade while she yelled "NEVER!"

Maleficent only sighed "I see, Xehanort was right... you are a most stubborn girl."

"Master Xehanort?! H-how do you...?!"

Maleficent raised her staff "It seems you need time to consider my offer," she smacked it down "fortunately I have the perfect place!"

Aqua gasped as she fell into the darkness of the room below.

~~..*..~~

Ventus felt his lungs burning, his legs tired and wanting to give out. He ignored it, continuing to run as he felt himself trying to stave off the sadness in his heart

"Terra, where are you?!"


	11. Chapter 11

Aqua landed in ANOTHER dank and dirty dungeon in a puddle of... something. She instantly held up her sash, whining "EW~~! Ew ew ew ew ew ew EW!"

"Who are you?"

Aqua snapped out of her mild panic attack to find she wasn't alone. A prince was sitting down nearby, chained to his little bench. She quickly composed herself as she walked over "My name is Aqua, it looks like I was caught in a trap, but... why are you here?."

"To prevent me from breaking her evil curse. I was too meet the most beautiful girl at a cottage in the glen, but now my true love lies in an eternal slumber, and only I can break the spell."

Aqua took it in, marveling the man's strength "You must really love her."

"Is what you said true?"

Aqua turned to find three fairies approaching.

"Yes, Maleficent told me."

The red-clad fairy gasped "Oh Prince Philip it's you!"

"Excuse me?" Aqua asked.

"Aurora had mentioned she had met someone before she fell asleep!"

the blue fairy sighed "Her true love."

The red one began undoing Philip's chains "I'm Flora, she's Fauna" the green fairy waved "and she's Merryweather."

the blue one curtsied "How do you do?"

"Now Philip," Flora began "the road to true love may be barred by many more dangers, which you alone will have to face."

Aqua shook her head "I'm going with you. There's something I need to know and Maleficent has the answer."

"Yes, of course dear." Flora sighed, she then waved them onward "Now come along, we must hurry to Aurora."

~~..*..~~

Ventus felt frustrated, and the emotion bled into his Keyblade glider, causing it to jerk more than usual. A blur passed by, Ventus gasping at the sight and swerving to avoid hitting it. "Him again!" he glowered at the masked boy taunting him for a brief second, then followed "HEY! I'M GETTING SOME ANSWERS FROM YOU!"

~~..*..~~

The place Ven was led to was almost inhospitable. Barren, desolate, empty. It didn't matter to him though, as he quickly dismissed his armor and glider as he searched the place for the masked boy.

"Where's he hiding?" he hissed under his breath.

He turned around, answering his question himself. He growled, then demanded "Alright, what did you mean about Terra being a different person?!"

The masked boy shook his head as he walked forward "Exactly what I said, idiot. The Terra you know will be gone forever."

"THAT'S THE STUPIDEST THING I'VE EVER HEARD!"

The boy sighed, as if tired of Ventus acting like this "Stupid, or true," he held out his hand, darkness gathering around it, and a Keyblade appearing in purple flames.

"A-A Keyblade?!" Ventus gasped. He then overcame his shock and summoned his own.

The boy raised his "Good, let's see what you're made of..."

They charged at each other.

~~..*..~~

Aqua and prince Philip were out of Maleficent's castle, and soon they were running along the drawbridge to Aurora's. Which, Aqua noted happily, was much cleaner and well kept.

Maleficent frowned, and raised her staff "A forest of thorns shall be your tomb! Wound 'round the castle in a bower of doom!"

Aqua and Philip halted as thorns as thick as they were blocked any route of escape. Maleficent came into existence, scowling at both of them.

"Maleficent!" Aqua snapped "What did Master Xehanort tell you?!"

She only said "Such a pity, child, that you don't have Terra's gift for obedience, nor can you see how easy it was for him."

"Terra would never do anything to help you!"

Maleficent smirked "Quite the contrary, he fully embraced the darkness within himself."

Aqua charged at her "STOP LYING- AH!" she tripped as a thorn vine wrapped around her ankle. The bridge began trembling as Maleficent roared "See for yourself all the powers of HELL!"

Maleficent grew twenty times her size, wings, scales as hard and black as onyx, a snout that poured fire without end.

Aqua and Philip were staring down the maw of a dragon.

~~..*..~~

Ventus was already quite beaten from his fight, but made an effort to keep standing. The boy was too fast, and slashed him across the cracked ground before he could even react. Ventus landed in a heap, Keyblade out of grasp and trying to stop his pain-induced tears. _What was I thinking taking him on?! He is way out of my league!_

"That really all you got?" the boy sighed "Man you are WORTHLESS."

Ventus tried grabbing his Keyblade, but it was like his hand was lead. _Terra, Aqua, please! SOMEONE! I'm sorry! Just please help me!_

"It's be going against the master's orders, but so what? As far as I'm concerned, your job here is done."

The masked boy held his Keyblade to the sky, charging it, and when he was satisfied with the massive amount of energy, fired ruthlessly at Ventus. Where the boy was, was now only a smouldering flame. But something was wrong: where was a twisted lump of armor? where were the ashes?

"Don't worry, you're safe!"

The boy's head snapped over to a small mouse standing over Ventus. The mouse summoned a Keyblade "Heal!"

Ventus stirred, groaning slightly. He looked up at the mouse, confused. He only grinned, but it vanished when he brandished his blade at the masked boy.

"TELL ME WHERE YOU GOT THAT! Keyblades are NOT somthin' you use just to bully people around! Here, I'll show ya!"

Ventus pulled up to his rescuer "We both will!"

They readied themselves while the masked boy only shook his head "If you losers say so."

~~..*..~~

Maleficent writhed and spat fire, spitting a ball of green flame at Aqua, separating her from Philip.

"No!"

Philip fended off Maleficent's fiery jaw, but he wouldn't last long. Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather arrived, Flora leading them "Now, all together!"

Philip's sword was blasted with their energy "Now sword of truth, fly swift and sure! Let evil die and good endure!"

Philip hurled it at Maleficent, and she let out a roar of anguish as the sword found its mark. Flames wreathed her serpentine form, and Aqua dashed over to Philip as the thorns withered and the flames died out "I think that did it!"

Philip nodded, then ran into the castle.

Maleficent, meanwhile, clutched at her wound, limping away.

"It's the power of true love that defeated you." Aqua said.

Maleficent sounded nauseous "I will NOT be defeated by something as insignificant as love!"

Aqua shook her head "You don't even know the first thing about it! You're too clouded with darkness to see that there is something greater." she turned to the castle, throwing her arm out to the highest tower.

Meanwhile, prince Philip knelt next to Aurora, and softly kissed her.

Aurora awoke, smiling at her prince.

"Try what you want, but you'll never defeat a heart filled with light."

"Perhaps," Maleficent snarled "but remember one thing: as long as there is light, there will be darkness! and in time, many more will be drawn to it! and they will all belong to ME!"

She disappeared in her flames with a shriek of laughter, Aqua rushing forward too late. Aqua scowled, wanting to defeat that cruel witch with her own two hands. She then frowned "Terra," she said and the verge of tears "you BETTER stay strong for me!"

~~..*..~~

The masked boy lay on the ground, defeated. Or at least they thought, as he quickly pushed himself up and onto his feet.

"Heh, you win." he chuckled upon seeing Ventus and his companion bracing themselves again. He then vanished into the darkness "Consider yourself on probation."

Ventus dismissed his Keyblade "Ugh, probation? For what? Kicking his butt?" he rolled his eyes, then turned to the mouse "Thanks for before, I owe ya. The name's Ventus, what's yours?"

"I'm Mickey!"

Ventus nodded, then bent down so his new friend wouldn't have to strain his neck "I see you have a Keyblade."

Mickey nodded with a smile "Yep! I'm training under the great Yen Sid!" Mickey dismissed it "He found out the worlds are in trouble, and I sorta took off without telling him..." he explained bashfully.

Ventus laughed "Well, that makes both of us! I ran off too."

Mickey reached into his pocket, a star shard twinkling in his hand "I just think it, and the star shard will take me anywhere I want to go." he then looked embarrassed "At least, I thought it would, I haven't quite gotten the fine points down like when or where, it just kinda kicks in whenever it wants too." he then smiled

"But I wouldn't have met you, if it hadn't have brought me here!"

Ven laughed, and Mickey inspected it closer "You know, it might not have been an accident. Maybe it starts working, because it's reactin' to something." They peered at the star shard then shield their eyes as it engulfed them both in light.

When Ventus opened his eyes, his armor had come on automatically. He was staring down an unfamiliar world, one that shone and beckoned him to a peaceful utopia.

He dove in.

Aqua found Terra gliding among the stars and worlds. _Terra? Where's he going?_ He shot off, and she followed without hesitation, _Terra, Ven, let me find you!_


	12. Chapter 12

There was one thing for sure about this new world: it was grand, it was huge, it oozed with pride of its perfect city full of radiance and well kept gardens. He looked for someone who knew where to go, finding a duck waddling by. He turned behind, and noted a set of large, round ears vanishing elsewhere.

"Mickey?"

Ventus chased after the mouse.

~~..*..~~

Terra examined the city plaza in front of him, finding a duck just minding his own business to be the only person besides himself, then walked into the empty square. Unversed suddenly sprang about, anticipating a challenge. _Unversed! That means Master Xehanort was right!_

~~..*..~~

Ventus rushed up the steps to the castle, hoping Mickey went this way. There were two guards, apparently dozing off on the job. _Okay. I can slip by these guys, if not, they can tell me where Mickey went-_

Their weapons sprang into life.

"Hold on!" The one on the left, a man about thirty or so with black hair and cobalt eyes, said.

"The castle is presently closed!" His companion, red and wiry hair and blue eyes, stated.

"But somebody just came this way! He's a friend of mine!"

The guards glanced at each other, then the first said "We aren't aware of any visitors. Now run along home, boy, before the monsters get you."

Ventus sat there, wondering where Mickey could've gone "I could've sworn it was him..."

He turned to leave, then gasped upon seeing a massive Unversed launch into the air. The guards walked forward, prepared to deal with the situation.

"They're here!"

"Radiant Garden shall not fall to the likes of you!"

Ventus ran past both "Leave this to me!"

"Stop!"

"But you're just a child!"

They sighed, then nodded to each other to persue Ven-

"Now who do you think will defend the castle if you two go skipping off?" A man in a lab coat with grayish blond hair and emerald green eyes walked over.

"But, that boy-"

"Never you worry about him, he's a special case."

"A what?"

"Even is right, lord and castle come first." The first guard said, returning to his post "The boy will have to fend for himself."

"Which reminds me," Even resumed "his lordship was asking for you." The guards left, and Even stared at where Ventus was seconds ago.

"A heart devoid of darkness..." He mused aloud "stripped clean of it at that. VERY questionable."

~~..*..~~

Terra was done with the Unversed here, and he looked up to catch a fleeting glimpse of Master Xehanort. _What's Master Xehanort doing here?_

"Maybe he found something out."

Just as Terra followed Xehanort, Aqua arrived in Radiant Garden. She saw the duck, then rushed over "Excuse me, I'm terribly sorry to bother you sir-"

"Ah, well well well my little lass ya are, I'd be pleased as punch to help you, if I can."

Aqua smiled, then knelt down and asked "I'm looking for a boy who's not from around here. Have you seen him?"

The duck thought, seeing a young man and a boy arrive before this young lady. He grinned "Well, I think I know just who you're talkin about. He scampered off to yon castle, in a right hurry."

Aqua stood "Thank you so much,"

The duck waddled off.

"Terra, I hope you're still there."

~~..*..~~

Terra wandered through the streets as he tailed Master Xehanort, but he was stopped by a wizard poofing into the road in front of him.

"Ugh, why can't I ever seem to be able to remember this address exactly?"

Terra noted the wizard had dropped his book, then walked over to pick it up.

~~..*..~~

Aqua arrived at the castle, and was greeted with a scream. A little girl ran by, chased by Unversed.

"No! RUN!" Aqua yelled, but the girl had reached a dead end. She clutched her flowers, whimpering as the Unversed grew closer. It missed its strike, and the girl ran to Aqua and. Grabbed her Keyblade "Miss! I'm scared!" Aqua felt a small jolt at the girls's touch.

_I can feel the light... _She took count of the number of Unversed, and figured in protecting a child. _There's no way I can fight like this!_

As an Unversed leapt at her, a mouse swiped it away with its own Keyblade. "Hurry! You gotta get that girl to someplace that's safe!"

Aqua nodded, but asked "Who are you? Why do you have a Keyblade?"

"I'll tell ya later! Right now we gotta stop these things!"

Aqua then scooped up Kairi, and ran off. Mickey glared at his opponents, waiting for their first move. He glanced over, finding Aqua arriving "We fight together!" she said as she braced herself for combat. The mouse asked "Everything alright?"

Aqua nodded.

~~..*..~~

Ventus found the Unversed menacing the duck from earlier. He reached into his pocket, obviously protecting it "UGH! How dare ya! Back off ya fiend! Woah ho ho! Yer not gonna be gettin any of MY money!"

Ventus threw his Keyblade "LOOK OUT!"

The duck crouched "Aye! I will!"

Ven's Keyblade hit its mark, and the Unversed fled. Ventus followed it, but stopped when the duck called out "Wait a moment laddie! Do I even get a chane to repay ye?"

"Oh! You don't have to-"

"Nonsense! Now just hold yer horses! I didn't mean a fortune!" Ventus groaned as the Unversed escaped "Now maybe a wee bit a gold or a small token of-"

"Well, could ya make it fast?!"

The duck snapped his feathered fingers "I know! I have just the thing in me hat!"

He set aside his cane, and took off his hat. He waved Ven over "C'mere!"

Ventus, driven by curiosity, walked over. The duck then held his hat over his beak "You can tell me lad, you came from another world, didn't ya?"

Ventus gasped "Wait! how did you-"

The duck laughed "Hey, don't worry! Mah bill is sealed. Yer secret's safe with me, and I won't be askin ya any awkward questions! Ya see, tis the same with me!"

Ventus felt his eyes widen, and he blurted out "Do you have a Keyblade?!"

The duck laughed even harder "Nah! I asked a wizard named Merlin to bring me to another world! After all, adventure is the mother of industry, eh?"

Ventus suddenly remembered his Unversed problem "Hey, great! Is that all?!"

"Ah yes! I'm just holdin ya up now, lad! Anyways," he pulled a set of tickets out of his hat "These are lifetime passes to Disney Town! You'll have buckets of fun there or my name is not Scrooge McDuck!" Ventus accepted the three as Scrooge explained "There ya are, enough for you, and yer parents!"

Ventus smiled at having one to himself, but wondered who he'd bring along. He didn't have any parents- He then smiled _Terra and Aqua! DUH!_

~~..*..~~

Terra, book in hand, walked inside the wizards house "'Scuse me sir, but I believe you dropped this book."

"Hmm? Did I?" the wizard walked over, "Oh! Well, I am sorry to say this isn't one of mine! But what a remarkable book it is! This unassuming volume seems to have the effect of awakening one's innermost abilities!"

"A book that makes people stronger?" Terra wondered aloud "Hmm, if it's okay, your elderness, could I have a closer look?"

"The name is Merlin! Im a powerful wizard, and I'll have you know a lot of wisdom comes with age! As I said, the book is not mine, but I'd be happy to keep it here for you."

"Thank you, Merlin." Terra glanced at the book, seeing it's gentle watercolor illustrations: _The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh_. _A child's book. Huh, that is... interesting._

~~..*..~~

Aqua had made sure the girl was okay, then knelt down to her companion "Thank you, my name is Aqua, and I train-" she stopped herself "Um... trainED- under Master Eraqus."

"I'm Mickey! I used to be Yen Sid's apprentice! I came back to him for some more training!"

Aqua nodded, then nodded to the girl "I sense light within this girl, you think that's why they attacked her?"

"Hmm, Yep, I think you may be absolutely right! If you ask me, she must be somebody pretty extraordinary!"

The girl behind him started smiling, her face lighting up in pride and amazement.

"Yes, I'm quite certain she's someone we're supposed to protect." Aqua said, not paying attention to the girl.

"Let's join forces!" Mickey extended his hand, but a light erupted from his pocket "Oh no! not now!"

Aqua and the girl shielded their eyes as Mickey vanished in light, then zoomed off. "I'll be okay! See ya real soon~!"

Aqua sighed, hoping Mickey could have stayed awhile.

"Here!" the master lowered her gaze to find the girl holding out her flowers. She asked with a laugh "Are these for me?"

"These were for my grandma, but I want you to have them! Thank you for saving me!"

Aqua accepted the small bouquet "Oh! They're lovely! You're so sweet!"

The girl smiled, tugging at her necklace slightly "My name's Kairi! nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you too, I'm Aqua. Now, Kairi, about that light-"

"KAIRI~!" an old woman called out.

"Oh! Grandma!" Kairi began running over, but Aqua held her back momentarily "Wait! Kairi, just a minute."

Aqua tapped the girl's necklace, infusing it with a protective spell "I just cast a magic spell on you, one day, if you're ever in trouble, your light will lead you to the light of another. Someone to keep you safe."

Kairi smiled "Thanks! I hope that's you!" she ran off, waving goodbye "It was lovely meeting you Miss Aqua!"

Her grandma chuckled "There you are, it's time to go."

"'Kay," Kairi waved her hand at Aqua again, and Aqua waved back.

As they began walking away, hand in hand, Kairi asked "Hey, grandma? Can you tell me that story again?"

"Goodness child! Again? I swear you've heard it a thousand times!"

"Please grandma?!"

"Oh alright," she sighed with a smile "Long ago, people lived in peace, bathed in the warmth of light. Everyone loved the light. Then people began to fight over it. They wanted to keep it for themselves. And darkness was born in their hearts. The darkness spread, swallowing the light and many people's hearts. It covered everything, and the world disappeared. But small fragments of light survived, in the hearts of children. With these fragments of light, children rebuilt the lost world. It's the world we live in now. But the true light sleeps, deep within the darkness. That's why the worlds are still scattered, divided from each other. But someday, a door to the innermost darkness will open and the true light will return. So, listen, child. Even in the deepest darkness, there will always be a light to guide you. Believe in the light, and the darkness will never defeat you. Your heart will shine with its power and push the darkness away."

Aqua listened intently to the whole tale, realizing that Eraqus had told her the same story when she was younger. She smiled, holding up her flowers "Kairi, something tells me I didn't run into her by accident."

She stowed away the flowers, then gasped as an Unversed soared across the sky "Unversed! It never ends!"

She dashed down the steps, tracking the creature as well as she could.

~~..*..~~

Terra was about to leave, satisfied with inspecting the book, when a massive Unversed whirled by. He summoned his Keyblade, and chased after it.

~~..*..~~

Ventus rushed by, following his, but was stopped by a voice "Dang it all! Can't I get a moment's peace?!"

"Mister, head inside! It's not safe out here!" Ventus said as Merlin strutted out.

He only sighed "Heh, ordering me about! Now THAT'S unsafe! After all, I'm Merlin, the wizard!"

Seeing Ventus's dumbfounded look, he only waved an arm inside "Ah, another young scamp looking to awaken the powers within him, is that it?"

"What? Um no, I'm looking for a creature that passed by here, but, how did you know?"

"Oh, we wizards have a knack for this kind of thing, just come inside, I'll show you the book. It's on the table, you may have a gander if you wish."

Ventus stopped before entering "Uh, what book? I'm seriously just looking for an Unversed- OH YEAH!" Ventus quickly scrambled away, chasing after his target once more.

~~..*..~~

Aqua found Terra where her Unversed lead her "Terra! What are you doing here?"

"Huh? Aqua? What are YOU doing here?"

"Looking for the Unversed." they replied together.

"Hey guys!"

"VEN?!"

Ventus smiled "Terra! Aqua!"

They didn't have time to chat, as their Unversed merged into one massive monster. Ventus laughed "Oh! So we got a challenge, huh?"

Aqua backed away "I don't think I'm strong enough for _that_!"

Terra waved her over to a covered area "Aqua, you take cover and go on support! Ven, you and Me, just like training, okay?"

"Got it!" Ventus and Aqua nodded, heading off to their respective duties. Terra and Ventus instantly began hammering the Unversed with flurries of team attacks, Aqua taking cover and casting all kinds of magic. It was easy: Ven would smack it out of the air, Terra dealt massive combos, and Aqua aided them both.

"Ven! Now!

"It's almost done!"

"Come on!"

Aqua leapt into the air, striking her Keyblade all the way through the Unversed. Terra and Ven followed, striking together just as fierce as Aqua had.

The Unversed vanished into dark smoke.

"Got him!" Terra chuckled as he ran over to Ven.

"We make a great team!" Aqua did the same.

Ventus waited for both of them, nodding "Sure do!" he then reached into his pocket "Oh yeah! I got you these tickets!"

Terra asked "For what?"

"Lifetime passes to disney town!" Ventus laughed as he passed two out to Terra and Aqua."He said to... " His smile vanished, and he said grumpily "He said to take my parents..."

Aqua looked up from her pass "You mean us?"

Her and terra exchange a glance, and they both laughed, an awkward blush creeping up on both of them.

Aqua then brushed aside the levity "Listen to me, Ven. We need to get you home."

"It's okay Aqua!" Ventus ignored her seriousness "Trust me, that guy in the mask is history he'll never bad mouth Terra again-"

"You saw the boy in the mask?!" Terra snapped as his hand violently lurched out and grabbed Ven's shoulder. Ventus, shocked by how sudden Terra had changed, stammered out "Y-yes...?"

"Vanitas." Terra said, looking away. Ventus felt an odd shiver, like he had heard that name before.

Terra backed away, saying firmly "Ven, you let Aqua take you home."

"No way!" Ventus snapped at him "I wanna go with you guys!"

"You can't." Terra said, sounding like he was trying to restrain his temper "We have a dangerous task ahead of us." he sighed "I don't want you to get hurt, Ven."

"Oh, and what is this dangerous task, Terra?" Aqua questioned. Ventus felt his heart drop several inches at how accusing she sounded "It doesn't sound like what the master told you to do."

"It might be a different route, but I'm fighting the darkness."

"I'm not so sure, Terra." Aqua shook her head "I've been to the same worlds as you, and... I've seen what you've done. You shouldn't put yourself so close to the darkness!"

"AQUA!" Ventus yelled at her "Listen to yourself! Terra would never-"

"You mean you've been spying on me?" Terra growled at her. "Is that what he said to do? The master's orders?!"

Aqua bit her lip and looked away "H-he was only..."

Ventus shook his head "Aqua..."

Terra turned and walked away "I get it."

Ventus leapt after him "Terra-"

"JUST STAY PUT!" Terra yelled at him. Ventus stopped, not believing what his friend just yelled. He felt himself tear up "T-Terra-"

"I'm on my own now! ALRIGHT?"

Aqua called after him "Terra, please! LISTEN! The master has no reason to distrust you, really! He was just worried!"

Terra continued storming off without a backwards glance, vanishing among the city.

Ventus looked at her, tears just barely starting to overflow "You're AWFUL Aqua."

Aqua grasped her charm, turning to him sadly "So, now you know the truth..." she felt her heart break at Ventus's expression of loss and betrayal "But the master loves Terra... and you know that too."

Ventus thought for a moment, then said "Were you also... 'ordered'... to take me home?"

She didn't reply, feeling her charm beginning to dig into her skin painfully as she tried stopping her own tears.

Ventus shook his head "Aqua, now that you're a Keyblade Master..." he sobbed lightly, then yelled at her "You've let it go to your head!" He ran off "I'm gonna go find Terra!"

"Ven-"

"DON'T FOLLOW ME!" he snapped back, angry and hurt.

Aqua was alone now. She held up her charm, letting a tear fall onto it "Terra, Ven... I'm sorry."

**_AN: damn, this Is almost 3k long, and the entire story is approaching 25k at this point! AND WE'RE ONLY HALFWAY! I'm so glad for y'alls support, and thanks for reading! (1/22/12) changed Ven's line about bringing "two grown ups" to the Japanese direct translation, "bring my parents", because that line is too damn cute to pass up._**


	13. Chapter 13

Terra felt furious. Master Eraqus, a man in his life he had trusted far more than anyone else, had sent little-miss-goody-two-shoes-do-nothing-wrong Aqua to SPY on him! His master didn't return that trust, deemed him a failure because he only had darkness in his heart; Aqua, meanwhile, had received Mastery without him! Just because she held far less darkness in her heart. He felt betrayed, like Eraqus had disowned Terra as his son, and adopted Aqua.

_Master Xehanort is the only one I can still count on._ He thought, trying to expel his anger by scuffing his shoes into the ground.

A young, snarky voice called out "You must be Terra!"

Terra glared at the young black-haired man in front of him, not wanting to talk.

"It's that old coot, he won't stop asking for you! I came all the way out here to get you, just so he could clam up!"

"What do you mean?" Terra asked, voice low and snarling thanks to his still subsiding anger.

The man laughed "Do I have to spell it out? Xehanort, whatever he's called. You know, my prisoner."

Terra chuckled, taking note of the signs the man held up "You're apparently not a very good liar. Master Xehanort would never let himself get caught by a thug like you."

"As if! I got the old coot at my mercy, see for yourself! I'm holding him underneath the outer gardens." he turned to leave "You better show up before I lose my patience. Chow."

He strolled away, Terra pausing to think about this. _Hmm, no way it's true, but no harm in looking._

~~..*..~~

Ventus was starting to tire, having sprinted a good long way away from Aqua. _Master traitor, more like it... _he said to himself, _She should know by now to trust Terra! She should've said something to the Master!_

He looked up, then summoned his Keyblade and rushed to the aid of a young boy surrounded by Unversed "Run!"

The boy nodded, and ran off and Ventus began chiseling away the ranks of Unversed.

~~..*..~~

As Aqua walked by an old wizard, he sighed "Just as I said, here's the third... goodness, that book is more trouble than it's worth."

"Um-" Aqua paused to ask.

"Say no more, the power to awaken the ones within you is just inside, read to your heart's content, my dear."

Aqua sat there for several moments, trying to put together the pieces "I'm... the third? Terra and Ventus were here?"

~~..*..~~

Terra arrived at the location the supposed kidnapper had mentioned. He walked up to the railing, peering at the waterways and piping around him. He sighed as he turned around "Idiot's just pulling my- MASTER XEHANORT!"

The old man was chained to a pipe above. _But how-_

"The old coot certainly knows how to take punishment." the kidnapper strolled in "Just like I know how to deal it out."

"You monster!" Terra yelled as he summoned his Keyblade "What are you after?!"

The man pointed to Terra's weapon of choice "That thing right there! It's called a Keyblade, isn't it? Yep, seems like these days everybody's got one of those." he gestured up to Xehanort with a crossbow-like device "Even grandpa there. When I nabbed him, he told me all about it! What a weapon like that can do! How could I not want one?"

Terra advanced "You'll find they're picky about their owners!"

He laughed "Well, if I heard the old man right, you're what they call 'Keyblade Master Material'!"

Terra felt himself stiffen slightly.

"So if I defeat you, that makes me the real Key-slinger! If you catch my drift." he toyed with his gun, sighing "Not the most polite way to go about it, but what can you do?"

Terra charged, but halted when the man said "One more step and the coot goes boom! You think I'm gonna fight fair? As if! That Key's too powerful for us to go mano a mano."

He then grinned, and began firing rapidly at Terra. He held up his Keyblade, parrying the blows, but was eventually thrown to the ground.

"Heh, for a Keyblade Master you're not very... what's the word... GOOD."

Xehanort yelled at him "What are you doing,Terra? Fight!"

"But Master! You'll-"

"Don't mind me! You must fight! You can't let this ruffian win!" Terra felt torn, but Xehanort continued "Think of your master, Eraqus! The shame he and his pupils would be forced to bear! USE THE KEYBLADE!"

Terra agreed in all respects. As angry as he was with Aqua and Eraqus, he couldn't let them be tossed from their honor for something they didn't do. He stood, and gathered his energy, readying himself to kick this thug's butt to the gardens above.

~~..*..~~

"Ienzo! Where are you?! Answer me!" A man called out just as Ventus had finished. The boy from earlier quietly walked over, Even sighing "Ah, there you are. Didn't I warn you not to wander off, child?"

He turned to Ventus "I see we owe you our thanks. We have done our best to raise the boy, since his poor parents are not here to do it."

Ventus asked the boy "You're on your own, huh?" He then turned to Even "Sir, I'm looking for a friend of mine, he's a tall guy, dressed kinda like me, have you seen him?"

Even thought for a moment "Hmm, perhaps I did see him in the outer gardens." he pointed to the path off to the side "Just follow this road."

"Thanks!" Ven smiled.

Even chuckled "No, thank you. For keeping Ienzo out of harm's way. And..." he turned away, trailing off briefly "Let's say I have a feeling we are destined to cross paths again."

As Ven tilted his head in confusion, Even walked away. Ienzo said quietly "Thank you." then followed.

~~..*..~~

Terra felt the power of darkness building up inside of him. Betrayal, anger, jealousy, all of the darkness that had come to his surface because of today's events built up around him, pouring into his Keyblade. With a mighty yell, he unleashed it as a single, powerful blast.

Part of it caught his opponent in the face, darkness starting to burn out his eye.

Another flew off and freed Xehanort.

The thug that had kidnapped Xehanort then got a second helping, and as he angrily clutched at his darkness seeping wounds, he leapt off.

Terra took deep breaths, clutching his Keyblade, not believing what had happened. He stared at his smoking and crackling Keyblade "What did I...? This power...?!"

"Well done Terra!" Xehanort approached "You have taken yet another step forward."

"B-but I was consumed in anger! Hatred! That was the power of darkness!" Terra said. He threw his Keyblade away. He knew it would come back later, whenever he willed it to, but for now he didn't want to see it, far too sickened by its presence. _What was I thinking?! What was I doing?!_

"Darkness you channeled!" Xehanort proclaimed.

Terra shook his head "No, I succumbed to it. Just like when I stole princess Aurora's heart of light." he felt tears rise up, but he pushed them back "I can't return home now. I'm a failure."

"Then don't," Xehanort said "you could be my pupil."

Terra looked up, confused as to why someone would still accept him.

"Eraqus, you see, is so afraid of darkness, that he too, has succumbed."

Terra shook his head "No, he hasn't-"

"Not to darkness, but to light! It shines so bright, that he forgets that light begets darkness."

Terra thought about it, referring to his lessons. _Yes, those had always seemed contradictory... Light and darkness are equal and balanced, but we need to destroy the darkness... Why didn't I see that contradiction before?_

"And Aqua and Ventus, their lights shine too bright! It is only natural they cast shadows on your heart."

_But Aqua and Ven..._

"Eraqus is such a fool! Light and darkness, they are a balance! One that must always be maintained!" Xehanort stopped, then said "Terra, you are the one who shows the true Mark of Mastery! But he refuses to see it!"

_Me...? A master...?_

Xehanort turned around "And I know why, it is because he fears you."

Terra rapidly shook his head "No! Eraqus... he... he-"

Xehanort took Terra's hand in his "Join me, and we can do the worlds a much greater good. By wielding light and darkness in equal shares!"

"But... Master Xehanort-"

"See more worlds! Seek out the darkness that upsets the balance! Find Vanitas, and put an end to him," Xehanort grinned "MASTER Terra."

Terra debated it for a moment. Eraqus didn't trust him, maybe even FEARED him, but Xehanort... Xehanort was willing to open his arms to a failure like himself.

Terra bowed, one hand over his heart as a gesture of acceptance of Xehanort's offer, and the old man left.

~~..*..~~

Aqua walked out to the plaza, still looking for Ventus. She stopped upon seeing a boy in a dark body suit with a masked helmet over his face. _It's him! _"A mask? You're the boy that Terra and Ventus mentioned!"

The boy nodded his head "Ah yes, Ventus... Tell, me, has he learned how to put up a decent fight?"

"What do you mean?" Aqua asked.

"I'll be asking the questions!" The boy's flat voice suddenly fluctuated to anger, but then calmed "Besides, why shouldn't I? Between the two of us," he summoned a Keyblade "I'm the only one who will walk out of here alive."

Aqua summoned hers "Guess again, loser!"

~~..*..~~

Ventus sighed in relief as he saw Terra walking through the outer gardens "Terra!" he stopped in front of him, saying "Take me with you!"

Terra shook his head, turning away "I can't do that."

Ventus blinked at the reaction, his smile fading away "W-Why not...? Do you... do you even want me with you anymore?"

Terra took in the words, thinking about how bright the boy's light was. He didn't want that to become lost, and responded "It's just... When I really need you Ven, I know you'll be there."

Ventus grinned again "Well, why wouldn't I? We're best friends! Practically brothers!"

Terra suddenly smiled "Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Ven." he then summoned his armor and glider, and flew off.

Ventus watched him go, the words that had come from Terra ringing around in his head. He blinked, then realized that Terra was going on his own, solo, without him or Aqua. It had already proven useless for Ven to convince him otherwise, and Ventus ran back to the plaza, saying "I better go tell Aqua!"


	14. Chapter 14

Terra sighed at the technicolor landscape before him. It was bright and cheery, yes, but bright and cheery was the last thing he needed.

A swift movement caught his eye. Yep, those were unversed. He summoned his Keyblade without hesitation, charging onto the track after them. Unfortunately, they were too fast, riding on vehicles far faster than he would be on foot.

"Fine, I can take you on." Terra was about to summon his armor when a voice cried "LOOK OUT!"

He glance behind him, then quickly tossed himself aside to avoid the oncoming car. After glaring at it for a short while, it vanished around a turn. Terra sighed, and turned to find a mouse in a salmon colored dress, along with some chipmunks and a labrador, sighing in relief from the sidelines.

~~..*..~~

Aqua was barely standing, panting and injured from her fight with this masked boy this... Vanitas. She gulped for air as she carefully walked over to his unconscious body on the ground. She bent over, placing a hand on his helmet "Who are you?-"

He laughed, causing Aqua to jump away and bare her Keyblade. She was worried though- that last battle almost killed her, and she was exhausted as is. Vanitas stood, still laughing "Not bad! Not bad at all! I'll keep you around..." he turned to the dark portal behind him, adding darkly "Never hurts to have a back up."

Aqua charged after him "Wait!" but he vanished. She shook her head, lowering it._ I HAVE to stop him, before anything else happens to Terra and Ven..._

"AQUA!"

She snapped to attention, turning to find Ventus rushing towards her "Ven, were you able to find him?"

Ventus nodded "Yeah, but... he's gone." She turned forward, too used to that answer "Right..." she took a deep breath "Then I can't stay here."

Ventus took a step forward, saying helpfully "Let me go with you Aqua-"

"NO VEN." Aqua growled at him "Do as I say and GO HOME." Ventus blinked, frowned, then sighed "Why won't you let me?" She paused at his heartbroken expression, then added gentler "I don't want to put you in harm's way." she bent over, grasping his shoulder firmly

"Do you understand?"

She then backed away before he could respond- painfully noting that he barely moved from his drooping and sad posture -summoned her armor, and walked away so that he wouldn't get hurt by her glider. She paused for a moment, still seeing how desolate Ven had become.

She shook her head- _He'll get over it, he needs to learn that he can't always be with me and Terra._ She then summoned her glider and launched off.

~~..*..~~

Ventus recalled earlier days in their training... one particular afternoon stuck out and demanded to be recalled second by second.

_It was a beautiful day as always in the Land of Departure, but it wasn't very beautiful as Ventus- blue eyes as dull as uncut gems -took a hard blow to the stomach and toppled backwards._

_"Giving up already? Come on Ven, I thought you were stronger than that!" Terra said teasingly and encouragingly._

_Aqua was chuckling a little, but said just as encouragingly "Ven! You almost had him! Just try it again!"_

_Terra turned to Aqua, whining "Hey, you're teaming up now?!"_

_Ventus sat up, grabbed his wooden sparring sword again, and charged with a tired cry. Terra blocked him, and with a quick swipe beat him again._

_And again._

_And again._

_Soon they all were sitting down on one of the walls, Ventus holding his wooden sword in his lap and staring vacantly at it. He looked almost dejected, like he was ready to quit._

_Terra leaned back, noting Ventus's expression. He thoughtfully bit his lip, then smiled as he noted all of the nicks and dents and cuts in the wood. He leaned over "Hey, Ven," he pointed at the sword as he grabbed his shoulder "You see all those dents and nicks you got?"_

_Aqua knew what Terra was thinking and joined in as she leaned forward so he could see her face clearly "Each one of those is proof that you're learning!"_

_Ventus nodded vacantly._

_Terra then grabbed his sparring blade- wood crafted to look like a Keyblade -and raised it to the sky "You're trying too hard to move your body, you gotta let your body move YOU, alright?" he then stood, clearing his throat._

_Aqua had an amused look "Terra, what are you doing?" She asked playfully._

_Terra smirked as he held out his wooden Keyblade "IN your hand, take this blade," He proclaimed "And so long as you have the makings, through this simple act of taking, its wielder you shall one day be made."_

_Aqua snorted "What's that about? You went and made you master?!"_

_Terra smiled wide "Being a Keyblade Master is all I've ever dreamed about!"_

_Ventus looked at Aqua, almost like he was asking if that could be his dream too. Aqua added "Well, you're not the only one!"_

_Terra knelt down, "Yeah, I know." he held out his wooden Keyblade to Ven for him to take "You, me, and Ven, we all share the same dream." Ventus stared at the wooden blade for a second, before he smiled and grasped it gently._

And there he was, staring at it. He was glad Aqua had enchanted it to fit in his pocket so he could carry it everywhere he wanted to, but maybe he didn't want to see it anymore. He stared at Terra's name carved on the handle, wondering what had happened to their friendship.

He flipped it around some, ignoring the footsteps he heard above him. He suddenly screwed up, the wooden thing tumbling to the ground right in front of a young boy's feet.

He looked to be about Ven's age, with bright red hair spiked back and vibrant green eyes staring inquisitively at the object before him. Ventus reached after his wooden Keyblade as the boy picked it up and examined it curiously. He chuckled, then asked Ventus "This yours?"

Ven nodded.

His companion, a boy who might have been a little older with bright blue hair that was a little on the long side and green eyes as well, sighed, and said sharply "Lea, we don't have time for this."

Lea laughed "Oh, lighten up Isa! It'll only take a sec." He held the sparring weapon out to Ventus "You still play with toy swords? That's cute."

Ventus glared at him as he took his Keyblade back "It's not a toy..." He grumbled.

"Yeah sure," Lea laughed. He then dug into his pockets "Now, this right here- TA DAH~!" He held out two frisbees. He leaned over "Whaddaya think?"

Ventus shook his head, saying "Not a lot." _Those are the REAL toys... _he thought bitterly.

Lea snapped at him "Oh, you're just jealous! I'm Lea, got it memorized?" he then asked "What's your name?"

Ven replied curtly "Ventus."

Lea smirked "Okay Ventus, let's fight!"

Ventus snapped his head up "Fight?!" the master never let them fight each other unless they were sparring, and explicitly said it was not an activity for enjoyment "Why would I want to do that?!"

Lea waved a frisbee at him "You scared of losing? Come on! Hope you're ready!"

Ven watch him jump back, ready to fight. He clutched his wooden Keyblade a little closer, mulling the situation over. He then stood, readying his Keyblade with a smile growing. Lea grinned "Yeah! Now we're talkin'!"

Isa rolled his green eyes: _Here we go again..._

Ventus made a few experimental swings "You're gonna be sorry!"

The boys charged, and Ventus was surprised at how bad a form Lea had. It was really easy to end up putting the boy down on the ground, frisbees discarded.

Lea chuckled, panting from the fight "You... Had enough?... Cuz I'm... willing to call it a draw... if you are!"

Ven was a little confused, gradually coming out of his fighting mode, then stood and laughed "Right."

Isa walked over "The only thing I saw was you drawing a big 'L' on your forehead for loser," Lea turned back to Isa, gradually looking more and more annoyed and dumbfounded as he continued "lame, laughable..."

"Wha...?! I-isn't this the part where you... cheer me up or something?!" he exclaimed. He folded his arms, supplying what he had in mind "You're just... havin' a bad days! Or... That's what you get for pullin' your punches'!" He then stuck his tongue out and sighed "Sheesh, some friend!"

Isa looked amused "Oh, you mean I was supposed to lie?"

Lea thought for a moment, then laid back, sighing "You see what I gotta put up with?" he then lifted his head a little to grin at Ventus "Sure hope you don't have friends like HIM!"

Once again Ventus was confused, but then he caught the joke and laughed. They all chortled at the joke, but then Isa said firmly "Lea, we have to go."

Lea nodded, sitting up "'Kay."

As he stood, Ventus whined "Already?"

Lea shrugged "I'll see ya when I see ya. After all, we're friends now!" he tapped his head "Get it memorized."

Ventus nodded "Okay, Lea."

As Lea walked over, Isa sighed "What is it with you and picking up stray puppies?"

Lea grinned up at him "I want everybody I meet to remember me. Inside people's memories, I can live forever."

Isa rolled his eyes "I won't forget you, believe me I try all the time!"

Lea replied sarcastically "See? I'm immortal!"

Isa shook his head with a smile "You're obnoxious."

They both stared up at the castle. Lea asked "You ready?" Isa glanced over "Well, I can tell you are." He nodded "Yeah!"

The three parted ways, Ventus feeling so much better about things. He stopped, sighing "Must be nice... Knowing who your friends are..."

* * *

TO DAH! I picked it up again! :u: I only cried a lot writing this and oh my god have I mentioned how sore my hands get when I type up just one chapter, like, ow.


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